Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles
by Ten-Faced Paladin
Summary: AU of Forgotten Rider. What if Kyle Jones appeared somewhere else besides Wave Country? What if he landed in a city of crystal where peace is in abundance? What if the Undead were freed? What if the peace was not what it seemed?
1. Turn 1

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. Those belong to their respective creators and not me. So get over it.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 1: New In Town! Chalice Makes His Debut!**

Kyle groaned as he tried to get his head back on straight. He remembered being in his dorm room before some kind of pink light engulfed him. After that, he recalled grabbing onto a metal case before blacking out. At this point, he got the sensation in his body back, feeling the cold concrete ground below him. Daring to open his eyes, he discovered that he was indeed on a stone pathway. Next to him was the silver case that he recalled grabbing, but it was open. Looking inside, he spotted three familiar buckles. Two were silver with a clear panel on the front and were box-shaped. The third was green and bronze with a circular shape. A clear panel was jutting from the side, indicating that it could be inserted into the buckle.

"Buckles?" Kyle blinked as he looked at the three items. "These look like…the buckles from Kamen Rider Blade. Where did they come from?"

Scratching his head, Kyle looked deeper into the case to only find two more items inside of it. Both were cards with red backs and ornate designs on the front. One was of a mantis inside a jeweled pink heart while the other was of a human with a red heart inside of it. Kyle could instantly recognize them as the Category Ace and Category Two of Hearts: Change Mantis and Spirit Human. His main question was where were the other Rouze Cards?

"This is getting too weird for me," Kyle sighed as he shook his head. Packing the buckles into the case and slipping the cards into his pocket, he stood up and looked at his surroundings.

He was in an alley of some kind which was covered in shadows. It wasn't a very good place to learn about where you were. Shaking his head to get the final fuzziness out of it, Kyle headed out of the alley, and his jaw dropped.

He found himself looking at a crystal city. All of the buildings were either white or were covered in shining white crystal. Five crystal towers could be seen in the distance which seemed almost alive with a strange energy. In the distance in what seemed to be the very centre of this beautiful city, was a gorgeous crystal palace. It appeared almost as if the crystal jut grew out of the ground and people decided to live in it.

"Where did I land?" Kyle asked himself with a sense of awe. He had never seen such a beautiful city before.

Still shocked at the sight of the beautiful city, Kyle didn't immediately take notice of the people who were walking the streets. As he slowly became aware of them, he noticed that they were wearing clothes that were similar to what English nobles of the past would be comfortable in. All of the outfits were fancy and looked like something out of a Victorian age. However, Kyle himself was wearing a pair of jeans and a T-shirt. He stuck out like a sore thumb.

The people walking along the cobblestone streets likewise began noticing Kyle. They gave him bewildered looks while others whispered to friends about something while glancing at him. A few were muttering about rebellious children and other such things. It really made the displaced university student feel like he was being talked about like a small child. It was more than a little insulting.

Walking along the streets, Kyle saw that English outfits weren't the only style of dress. People closer to his age were wearing Japanese school uniforms, but were colored white or gold like most of the other kinds of clothes. The people were also walking in almost exact paths, only breaking off when their destination made it necessary to move. Kyle kept almost bumping into people for walking too slow or too fast. All the while, more and more adults were whispering near him. A lot of it kept questioning about his upbringing or his parents. Apparently standing out was frowned upon by the people of this city.

"Red? My word, what kind of gaudy clothing do children wear these days?"

"Those pants hardly look respectable."

"His parents must be ashamed if he went out like that."

"Where are his parents? Can't they discipline him properly?"

Kyle rolled his eyes and snorted, biting his tongue to keep himself from saying a scathing comment. The gesture alone seemed to create more stares and whispering. However, he ignored it in favor of finding out just where he had ended up. A crystal city would have made the news no matter where you lived. He just had to ponder why he hadn't heard of it.

Ignoring the snorts from the people around him, Kyle continued on his way to try and find some information about his surroundings. However, that thought was interrupted by the sounds of an explosion and several dozen screams. Kyle's blood turned cold as the sounds hit him and he froze. The people around him on he other hand seemed to suddenly become panicked like he had never seen before. They screamed, yelled, and ran like they were chickens with their heads cut off or something.

Snapping out of his daze, Kyle charged towards the source. Considering that he had lost the rest of the Rouze Cards, he had a sinking feeling as to what the source of the commotion really was. Maneuvering around the masses of panicking people, Kyle finally managed to get clear.

In front of what appeared to be a group of stores, there was an Undead attacking several people. Dead bodies were already littering the ground with red lines around their necks, indicating that they had been strangled by something. The Undead itself was mostly green with black bits of armor on its face and other parts of its body. Its one arm was vines with thorns sticking out of them and more vines emerging from its body. Kyle easily recognized it from the Kamen Rider Blade series. It was the Category 7 of Hearts, the Bio Plant.

"Halt! In the name of the Queen!" a soldier dressed in silver armor cried as he and several similarly dressed men made a stand against the Plant Undead. They were all armed with spears and looked ready to fight.

The Plant Undead was unimpressed as it hissed at the men and began advancing on them.

"I said stop! In the name of the Queen!" the leader of the soldiers cried out a second time.

Again the Plant Undead didn't respond, it just continued advancing on the men. Several of the soldiers began quivering in the knees, honestly scared. Kyle watched the discipline of the men crumble. It was as if they expected the monster to just give up and submit just because they said so!

The Plant Undead hissed and lashed out with its vine hand, sending several thorny vines slithering through the air. That was too much for the soldiers as they began screaming and trying to get away. Some did, but others became trapped in the vines of the Plant Undead. The Undead hissed in pleasure as it began to squeeze the life out of the few soldiers it did catch. The remaining soldiers didn't even bother to save their friends as they abandoned their weapons and ran for their lives. Hadn't these guys dealt with violence before? They looked like they had stepped in on Jason killing a bunch of people, not a smaller monster simply choking people.

Reaching into his pocket, Kyle drew one of the two Rouze Cards he possessed, the Category Ace of Hearts, Change Mantis. If he really had the Joker Belt, then there was a chance that he had the Joker's abilities as well. Lowering the card to the slot which ran through the device, he slashed the card through with a cry of, "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

Kyle then felt his body being engulfed in a black static-like energy which hid every detail. As he was completely engulfed, he felt his body begin to shift and change. His shoulders took the appearance of pads and what looked like torso armor seemed to materialize on his chest. His head became angular with two horns coming out of the top. The energy finally faded as Kyle's new form was revealed. The armor was mainly black and gold with the designs on it. His arm guards and boots were made of gray metal that had a crisscross design on it. The chest had red and silver markings on it while the helmet had a red heart for a visor. His mouth was covered by a silver mouth-guard. Kyle had changed into Chalice, the Mantis Undead. Otherwise known as Kamen Rider Chalice!

Dashing towards the Plant Undead, Chalice drew his weapon the Chalice Arrow. Gripping the handle for it, he raised his weapon before slashing downwards into the Plant Undead's back. The beast screeched in pain and stumbled forward; dropping the guards it had in its clasp. The men hit the ground, coughing and gasping for air as they looked up to see who had saved them.

Chalice tackled the Plant Undead and they both hit the ground. The Plant Undead reacted quickly, kicking Chalice off before attacking him with several vines which shot forward like bullets. Chalice rolled out of the way, letting the vines hit the road and penetrate it, showing just how strong the vines were. Getting to his feet, Chalice aimed with his weapon and pulled back his free arm, shooting several bursts of energy from his Arrow. The beams hit the Plant Undead in several spots, bringing more sparks and a few splashes of neon green blood. The beast screeched in pain and stumbled forward to attack once again.

"_Don't you ever quit?_" Chalice muttered to himself before he charged again, raising his Chalice Arrow.

The two enemies met and slashed at each other before running past one another. Chalice came to a stop and stood straight again. He grunted softly as he felt a wound on his arm open up, revealing green blood of his own. The Plant Undead didn't move for a moment, leaving witnesses to ponder its condition. Suddenly, the Undead groaned in pain before collapsing, releasing its energy in a large explosion which ripped through the air. Sighing, Chalice turned to the downed Undead and walked towards it. His wound was already beginning to close and the bleeding had long since stopped. Stopping at the Undead as the fires burned themselves out, Chalice saw that the Plant Undead's buckle had opened, revealing three runes which signaled its defeat. Reaching to his belt, he opened the case on the right side and drew out a Proper Blank card. It looked like a Rouze Card, but had no picture or text save for the chains which spread across the picture. Taking the card, he dropped it onto the Plant Undead. When the card touched the Undead, it began to spin while the Undead itself become covered in a green aura. As the card spun faster, the Plant Undead was sucked inside of it, leaving strange text and a picture of a plant to be revealed on the card itself before it flew back into Chalice's waiting hand.

"_Not bad,_" Chalice nodded to himself. His first run as a real Kamen Rider and he got the job done. "_Not bad at all._"

"Halt!" a voice cried, causing Chalice to look up. In front of him were the men whom the Plant Undead almost killed. They had all reclaimed their weapons and were pointing them at the Kamen Rider. They seemed a little shaky in the knees but if that was because of Chalice or their near-death experience no one could be sure. "You are hereby arrested in the name of the Queen for violation of the physical aggression laws!"

"_What?_" Chalice blinked. Did he hear that right? "_You mean I'm being arrested for physically fighting a monster and causing harm to it? Then how the hell was I supposed to fight it?_"

The men gasped and redoubled their stances as the leader spoke, "You just violated the profanity laws too! To answer your question, if you wanted to fight that monster, you have to fight with magic from a distance! Everyone knows that!"

"…_that is the dumbest thing I have ever heard,_' Chalice blinked, making the men gasp again.

"He's disrespecting the Queen's laws!" another soldier cried. "We have to arrest him!"

"I know!" the leader nodded before he gazed at Chalice. "You are hereby under arrest! Come quietly before we are forced to use unpleasant measures!"

"_You mean you'll actually use those weapons you have pointed at me? Or do you mean you'll try to punch me? I'd pay good money to see that happening._" Chalice chuckled. His opinion of these soldiers was that they were wimps. They were afraid to physically fight someone, they were afraid to swear, and they even seemed to be intimidated by his appearance alone. How these guys became soldiers he would never understand.

"Uh…Uh…okay," the leader of the soldiers gulped. "Men…advance!"

The soldiers began to advance on Chalice with their weapons pointed at him. They were slow and deliberate in their movements. To Chalice, it seemed that they were trying to intimidate him rather than actually attack him. Shaking his head, he looked at the Bio Plant card before he looked back at the soldiers before he got an evil idea. Removing his belt buckle, he attached it to the hollow in the centre of the Chalice Arrow. Holding the Bio Plant card to the Rouzer, he slashed it through.

"**Bio!**"

An image of the card appeared in the air before it was absorbed into the Chalice Arrow itself. The men stopped their advance with trembling knees, realizing that he wasn't intimidated in the least and was actually about to attack them. Rearing back his weapon, Chalice lashed forward. From the tip of the weapon, a long green vine extended before wrapping around the pack of men. When the vine was secure, Chalice cut his end, letting the men stay wrapped up. Looking at the fear on their faces, Chalice found it funny to see that they were wimping out so badly.

"_You wimps,_" Chalice chuckled before he turned and walked away from the frightened soldiers.

* * *

><p>Inside of a crystal throne room, a man and a woman sat on a pair of thrones. Light shone inside the room, making it appear so majestically, like the throne rooms of the kings of old. In front of the thrones were several women who were bowing respectfully to their Queen. They all looked different, but they also had common parts to their appearances as well. The only common thing that the bowing women had was the fuku-like outfits that they wore. The king wore a dark tuxedo which contrasted the shining white hall while the Queen wore a flowing white gown that made it obvious as to her position.<p>

"What about this incident in the marketplace?" the Queen asked her subjects.

"A Youma attacked quite suddenly," a blue-haired woman answered.

"How many people must be treated for energy drain?" asked the king.

"None your majesty," a black-haired woman replied. "You see…the Youma killed everyone it could get its hands on."

That answer made even the king and Queen gasp in shock. In their kingdom, murder and death by unnatural means was unheard of and considered to be one of the worst crimes ever to be committed. Even the odd monster which appeared in their kingdom would steal energy instead of lives. Why this monster decided to do just that was beyond their understanding for the moment. The Queen recovered from her shock first, allowing her to ask her next question, "What has become of the beast?"

"A man dressed in strange armor appeared and defeated it," a brunette answered. "However, he broke your physical aggression and profanity lawns in the process. When the guards on scene attempted to arrest him, he found their attempts amusing and trapped them in a plant-like binding before leaving."

"How could he find their attempt amusing?" asked a short-haired blonde indignantly. "Those soldiers are trained to handle any radical. They were trained in several tactics which would allow them to handle anyone from the city."

"Obviously he wasn't intimidated," the Queen frowned. Pondering for a moment, the majestic woman made her decision. "Here are my orders. Should that man appear again, I want him detained. He has broken my laws and I will not tolerate that. When you have him, I wish to learn everything he knows about these murdering monsters and anything else which may be significant."

"Yes your majesty," the women nodded.

* * *

><p>Kyle yawned as he sat in a public park, letting the silver case rest on the grass. The trees and grass looked real enough, but the crystal artwork he could have done without. He hadn't been in the city for a full day and he was already sick of all the crystal around. Hadn't these people heard of any other colors or what? Still, he didn't have much room to complain since he didn't have a clue as to where he was or what he should do. People were still staring at him like he was a punk just because of the jeans and t-shirt he was wearing too. That was just making him mad, but he didn't care all that much about what some snobs thought. It was just too bad that the city seemed to be full of them.<p>

"You there!" a voice barked out. Kyle froze.

Turning in the direction of the voice, he saw two guards dressed in silver armor walking towards him. Heaving a sigh, he stood up to face them. If push came to shove, he could turn into Chalice and fight his way out. In the meantime though, he could just let these guys say their peace.

"Can I help you?" Kyle asked.

"Why are you not in school?" asked the first guard who was acting tough. Kyle might have believed it if he hadn't seen the other supposed tough guards wimp out so badly in front of the Plant Undead.

"Uh…" Kyle blinked. That was it? These guys were rounding on him because he wasn't in school.

"Demitri! Can't you see?" asked the second guard. "Look at his clothes! Obviously he is one of the poor people and cannot afford an education!"

"Hey," Kyle frowned. Were all people in this city so snobby?

"Hmm. You're probably right," the first guard nodded. He looked Kyle in the eye. "You're in luck then. Thanks to the Academic Placement Program, all youths are able to get a proper education. Please come with us." Kyle then felt his arm yanked by the second guard as they headed down the cobblestone walkway. He only had enough time to grab his case before he was so rudely pulled away. Kyle was dragged further along until he and the guards were standing in front of a building which looked like a school built by an ultra-modern architect. It was pure white with decorative silver metal on the windows. The front doors were large and apparently made out of oak. He didn't get much time to examine it before he was brought inside.

Inside the school, everything was painted white much like the rest of the city. It seemed like one of those upscale universities which one would hear about like Harvard or other such schools. Brought through the halls, Kyle was at last put through a pair of double doors. Sitting at a front desk was a woman who was wearing a white business suit with glasses over her eyes. Her hair was short and blue and she seemed just so familiar for some reason.

"We're sorry for bothering you Education Minister," the first guard spoke. "But we found this young man here not in school and we believe he couldn't afford it."

"Oh dear," the woman frowned. "Well, don't worry. We have plenty of space at our school. The Academic Placement Program was made so that everyone could get an education regardless of their income or social position. You're very lucky that we found you."

"Uh-huh," Kyle nodded, still as confused as ever. Was he going to school for free or what?

"We'll leave him in your capable hands," the second guard bowed before he and his partner left the room. That left Kyle and this Education Minister alone. The woman didn't seem to say anything as she eyed him from top to bottom. It was as if she were trying to discern something just by looking at him. She seemed to stare for a few minutes longer before she smiled gentle and took Kyle by the shoulder.

"Judging by your age, I would say that you should be at the university level," she explained. "We have several openings available. You seem to be the creative type too judging by that spark in your eyes. So, I'll have you placed in the Arts classes. I'm sure you'll love it. A few physical education courses can't hurt either. We can't have you getting out of shape in the pursuit of true beauty."

Kyle blinked at the woman in shock. She was actually choosing his courses for him based on how he looked. True he did like creative work, but to be told he had to do it was kind of insulting. Still, he was apparently getting schooling for free so he probably shouldn't complain. If it turned out as dull and tiring as those wimpy guards were, then he might have something to actually complain about. Being ushered through the hall by the woman, he was brought to what he assumed to be a classroom. Quietly opening the door, the woman gestured him inside. To his surprise, there was no actual class going on. Instead, all of the students were in chairs with helmets over their heads and blinking lights. At the front of the room was another woman dressed in an outfit like the Minister's. The only real difference between the two was that her hair was black and tied in a ponytail.

"Ah, hello Minster," the woman waved. "A new student?"

"That's right," the Minister nodded. "He's on the Academic Placement program and I thought the arts could use another student so here he is." She motioned Kyle forward to face the apparent teacher.

"Well, it's good to meet you," the teacher nodded. "Please take a seat where you like and I'll begin the program with you. I hope we'll get along well."

Kyle was still as confused as hell about what was going on. Still, he didn't have much reason to say no to anything he was being offered. Back home he was already in considerable debt thanks to how much money he needed to go to school. However, he felt weird with this learning program that was going on. Walking through the rows of students, he sat down in an empty chair, allowing the helmet to cover his eyes. He heard a beeping noise before light began blinking. That was all Kyle got before a sudden onrush of information began flowing into his brain. Beethoven, Picasso, the great music and artistic masters all became knowledge in his head. It felt like his brain was going to explode. His eyes sparkled from the lights of the helmet and his limbs felt like lead during the whole process. He couldn't move!

"Gah!" Kyle cried out. Putting all his will into his hands, he brought them to the helmet which was pumping so much information into his brain and removed it with a sharp yank. The flow of information just stopped as soon as it started. Gasping for breath, Kyle leaned over the chair, trying to get the information straight in his brain. However, it was quickly fading and dimming into obscurity.

"What's wrong? Why did you suddenly shut it down?" asked the teacher as she and the Minster gazed in confusion at Kyle. "You won't learn anything if you don't sit through the whole program."

"Do…does everyone learn like this?" Kyle asked bluntly. "I mean…it felt like my head was going to explode."

"You mean you…" the Minister began in confusion. "Oh dear. Your parents must be radicals then. You poor boy. Usually children are the ones to have trouble learning this way. Students at your level shouldn't have a problem." She walked over to Kyle and looked at him gently. "I know it's new and confusing at first, but you'll get used to it soon enough. It's not difficult and you'll find that this knowledge will help you on your future career. I can promise it."

Suddenly, several musical tones sounded off and the remaining students began deactivating their chairs and getting up. Several of them paired up and walked out of the room as if nothing had happened. Kyle stared and watched them go in deeper confusion. He felt like his head was going to explode again just by seeing people actually be used to such learning techniques. Shaking his head, he got up as the Minister took stride next to him.

"Next is physical education," she explained. "This might be more your speed so I hope you enjoy yourself. If you'll excuse me though, I have to catch up with some paperwork. If you get lost just go to a terminal and type up your name. It will tell you where you need to go for your next class."

Kyle watched her go before he looked around for one of the terminals she spoke about. They were easy enough to find, seeing as they were actually connected to the walls. Going up to one, he found that it was a touch screen kind. There were several functions which included a class calendar, upcoming events, a map, and student information. Tapping the icon for student information, Kyle got a list of every student in the school. To his surprise, his name was already in the K section even though he hadn't even given his name yet. How had they gotten it? Did they download it from when he was stuck to that chair or something? Filing that away for later, he brought up a list of the courses the Minister had selected for him and found that he was due for a Phys. Ed. class down on the first floor.

"Might as well see what the big deal is," he shrugged as he began heading down to where the class was.

As he was walking, Kyle had to consider the place he was in. They were incredibly efficient. They managed to get his name through that learning program that they stuck him too. And learning by downloading information directly to your brain? That was something that he had only seen sci-fi movies. Having it actually happen to him was rather creepy. Also, it seemed that his entire career was picked out for him by the Minister. She thought he would be some kind of artist or something. Well, he wanted to be an author but she was pushing him towards art. It reminded him of some novel he read in high school about the people being forced into conformity and not having a clue that it was happening. Only this place was a lot easier on the eyes.

Finding the gym, Kyle walked through the doors to see several students stretching and getting ready. At the front was another woman who was wearing a coach out fit with short red hair under a cap. She looked over at Kyle before she picked up what looked like a white and black gym uniform and beckoned him over. Doing so, Kyle walked up to the woman before she passed the uniform to him.

"Here you go," she spoke. "Nice to see a fresh face around here. Get changed quickly and meet us back out here. Changing room is over there," she pointed to a door at the sidelines of the large gym.

"Right," Kyle nodded as he headed for the changing room.

Coming back out, Kyle stood with his fellow students, ready for the class to begin. I eventually did when the tones from before chimed off again. The gym teacher then began her lesson by putting the students through a number of aerobic exercises. In fact, that was all they did for the entire class. It was one exercise after another. Kyle felt himself being bored out of his skull by it. Looking to other classes which were using the gym, he saw that they were all doing the same. No one was playing a sport of any kind; just doing exorcises which were aimed to put the body into good shape. Kyle just ticked away the minutes as he put the effort into his workout. Thankfully, the teacher eventually ended the class and sent the students to the showers.

Kyle heard the students chatting about all the great exercise they had and how they were losing weight recently. It made him shiver, had he landed with a group of body enthusiasts or something? Shaking the thought off, he just stripped and headed into the showers. He needed the hot water to calm his throbbing head at the moment. Thankfully, soap and shampoo was provided already inside the showers. Going through the motions of cleaning, he tried to keep his mind off how much his head hurt.

"Hi! You're the new student, right?" a voice asked next to him. A rather FEMALE voice.

Kyle's eyes widened in shock before he turned to see who was talking to him. To his shock and horror, a girl was showering next to him. She was definitely attractive with an hourglass figure and pale smooth skin. Her hair was a deep violet as she ran her fingers through it to check for tangles. Her chest looked like a large handful, but Kyle wasn't trying to stare at it. Really, he wasn't. She seemed completely relaxed, as if she wasn't next to a naked guy showering in the same room with her.

"Ulp!" Kyle gulped as he tried not to stare at the figure next to him. "Y-yeah. Say, am I in the wrong changing room?"

"Nope," the girl answered with a shrug. She then seemed to take a note of concern as she ran her soap across her body. "You seem upset. Is something wrong?"

"Uhhh," Kyle groaned, trying hard not let anything stick out. He looked around for some kind of avenue of escape. However, he then noticed something he hadn't before, being the first one in the showers. It was a mixed bathing shower. Both males and females were all in the same room bathing like it was nothing. Some pairs were even chatting and talking without a care in the world. Some who were obviously couples were even showering under the same showerhead! Not necessarily boy/girl pairs either.

"Just…just not used to showering in public I guess," Kyle shrugged.

"Oh, it's a little new I guess. Nothing exciting though. It's just our bodies," The girl answered. "My name's Amethyst Murasaki."

"Kyle Jones," the now extremely confused and frustrated young man answered.

"Nice to meet you Kyle," Amethyst smiled. "Say, are you looking for a girlfriend?"

"H-Huh?" Kyle gaped. Was this the appropriate place to talk about such things?

"Well, it's just that initial partnerships usually complement each other," Amethyst explained. "I heard we had a new student coming so while I went to the bathroom, I took the time to look up any new students who arrived today and I found you. I found that we were both majors in art so I figured that we should be compatible. Most guys I meet in the art programs want girls in business programs."

"…you only want to go out with me because we're both in art?" Kyle asked stiffly.

"Yes. That's the first step to finding love according to the Love Ministry," Amethyst answered with a nod. "The partners must have compatible goals. The second step is a trial partnership to see if that compatibility crosses over into other things. Finally, if the compatibility holds true, then the partners can become an official couple. After being a couple for a predetermined number of years, they can apply for marriage and find love."

Kyle blinked at the explanation, totally stunned by it all. Love was part of a ministry? You had to follow a bureaucratic path to find what they defined as actual love? No matter what way you tried to spin it that was just pure bullshit to him. You couldn't just scientifically define love for any purpose. Sure, you could define the word in a dictionary, but you couldn't just say what love is and what wasn't. Amethyst seemed to be under the impression that by finding a person who seemed compatible on paper and being a couple long enough to get married that was actual love. Kyle just thought it sounded stupid.

"So are you looking for a girlfriend?" asked Amethyst hopefully.

"Didn't think about it," Kyle answered as he shut the shower off. His brain was hurting and so were his gonads from all the female flesh. Cold showers just weren't helping. "I've got to get ready for my next class. Maybe we can talk about this later." Waving absently, Kyle walked off to the change room, hoping that no one would notice that he was still a little stiff in a certain area.

Getting his clothes on as fast as he could, Kyle exited the change room trying not to relive what he had seen. He didn't want to walk funny down the halls. His mind was a whirl with emotion, trying to figure out just who the people thought they were in the ministries that they could actually control how people fell in love. Were the citizens here just stupid like a herd of sheep to think that the ministries had the power to determine such things? Didn't the people want to find love on their own? Then again, if people were raised in this environment, then they would probably believe that the ministries had all the answers since they were raised to believe such. It still seemed stupid to Kyle. Then again, these people had never dealt with violence or swearing before so of course they had to find some way to determine love in a peaceful and logical way.

Walking through the main courtyard of the campus, Kyle's head suddenly began buzzing as if a dentist was drilling into him. Clutching his head from the pain and closing his eyes, he tried to soothe it. What he got were numerous visions swimming through his head. Flashes of a dark crimson, fins, hammerhead-like protrusions, and water passed before his eyes. When the vision had ended, Kyle gasped when he realized what he had seen.

"Undead," he gasped. Looking around, he felt a pull coming from the Phys. Ed. sections of the school. With his destination set, Kyle grabbed his case of Rider Systems and dashed for the school. Barreling down the halls, he brushed past people who gasped in shock while others tried to get out of his way. As he got closer to the pool, he heard screaming and found several people in bathing suits running away from the area in question much like the citizens had before when the Bio Plant had appeared. He was getting close. Finding a set of double doors, Kyle burst through them to walk onto a scene of carnage.

The pool was massive and probably Olympic sized with illumination coming from lights below its surface. However, the light was cut off when the odd floating body passed over them. Several bodies of swimmers were visible drifting across the surface of the water. None of them were moving and had obviously drowned. Looking across the water, Kyle spied a dark shape emerging from the water. It was a dark crimson color with fins coming from the elbows. Its hands and feet were webbed and it was wearing a leather vest with belts tied across the thighs and shins. Its head was hammerhead shaped with its face emerging from below the hammerhead. The face itself was covered with a skeletal black metal mask which looked like it had a barnacle or two stuck to it.

This was the Category 3 of Hearts, the Chop Head, otherwise known as the Hammerhead Shark Undead.

Kyle frowned as the Undead emerged from the water and snarled at him. Looking to his own waist, a red light shone before the Chalice Belt emerged. He dropped the silver case to the ground before he reached to his pocket and produced the Ace of Hearts. Holding the item up, he cried out while bringing it through his Rouzer, "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

Kyle dashed forward as the static field engulfed him. As he moved, his body shifted and changed. Reaching closer to the Hammerhead Undead, the field burst, allowing Chalice to emerge with his weapon at the ready. The Hammerhead Undead was likewise ready as he clenched his fists and charged at the Kamen Rider. Both fighters collided with each other, Chalice digging the edge of his Chalice Arrow into the Undead's shoulder while the Hammerhead Undead scratched its claws across his Chalice's chest. Both leaped away with a shower of sparks and some pain dealt to each other before they began running at each other again.

Chalice slashed widely at his opponent, but the Hammerhead Undead ducked underneath it and rolled along the moist tiled floor. Getting up, the Hammerhead Undead lunged forward and hit Chalice in the back with a headbutt.

"_Agh!_" the Kamen Rider of the Hearts cried out as he hit the ground and slid across the soaked tiles. Struggling onto his back, he spied the Undead coming closer as it drew a large ring of what looked like shark teeth. Chalice reacted fast and aimed his Arrow at the monster before letting several volleys fly. The attacks dug into the Hammerhead Undead's flesh, bring splashed of neon green blood which splattered onto the pool and forced it to drop its weapon. Managing to get to his feet, Chalice detached his buckle and attached it to his weapon. He then drew the only Rouze Card he had which was suited for battle and slashed it through.

"**Bio!**"

The image of the card was absorbed into the Rouzer before Chalice slashed wildly again. This time a vine emerged from the end of his weapon, wrapping around the Hammerhead Undead tightly.

"_Let's go for a swing!_" said Chalice as he bent his knees and then pulled his arrow, tugging the Undead along. He then swung the monster into the wall with enough force to crack it before letting the Undead drop to the ground. He withdrew the vines and took aim with the Chalice Arrow, firing several energy arrows at the Undead. It let out screams of pains as Chalice used the distraction for a heavier attack. Said heavy attack came when Rider charged at the Undead and jumped up to perform a drop kick that slammed into its head. The beast hit the tiled floor, making it crack from the force.

"Stop this immediately!"

Chalice halted from where he was about to attack the Hammerhead Undead. Looking to where the voice had shouted, he spotted a woman standing at the doors of the pool area. She was wearing what looked like a fuku with a blue bow and a really short skirt. Her boots were knee high and were likewise blue along with her short hair. A tiara was on her forehead to complete the look. She was definitely older than what he recalled, but there was no mistaking this woman.

"_Sailor Mercury?_" Chalice gaped.

"You will both cease this violence immediately!" demanded Sailor Mercury, "And please, remain where you are and do not show aggression, or else I will be forced to neutralize you."

'_Does she really think that will work?_' thought Chalice as the Hammerhead Undead charged at the Rider. Chalice brought his weapon up to do a counterattack.

"I said stop!" Sailor Mercury cried as she dashed towards the battle.

Chalice and the Hammerhead Undead promptly ignored her as they continued their battle. Blows which could have severely injured or killed regular humans were exchanged between the two combatants along the pool. Chalice blocked a kick to his midsection before he used a return kick into the Hammerhead Undead's knee making it collapse to the tiled floor. Standing above the monster, Chalice raised his weapon to unleash the finishing blow. Now he would have sealed two Undead and…

"_Shabon Spray!_" Sailor Mercury suddenly cried.

A flurry of bubbles hit Chalice in the chest before it spread into the thickest cloud of mist he had ever seen. Stunned slightly, Chalice looked down to see where the Hammerhead Undead was supposed to have been hiding. Instead, he found the Undead in question missing. A sudden splash echoed through the fog, telling Chalice that the Hammerhead Undead had taken to the water to try and escape. Still, the fog was so thick he wasn't sure where it was going for an avenue to escape from. While trying to find out where the Hammerhead Undead had gone, Chalice spied Sailor Mercury coming through the mist.

"Now, stop this senseless violence or I shall use more direct methods," she frowned, reminding Chalice of how his mother would stare at him sternly when he did something bad when he was younger.

"_It's getting away you idiot!_" he snapped, making the woman gasp in shock. "_If it gets out and goes on a killing spree in this school, it'll be your fault!_"

Dashing past the stunned Mercury, Chalice almost desperately looked to see where the Hammerhead Undead might have chosen to get out of the pool. Mercury's fog was still in full effect so seeing anything more than a few feet away was difficult. Still, Chalice knew that he had to try. If the Hammerhead Undead got away, it would just start up another killing spree someplace else with more lives being snuffed out in the process. It had to be stopped here before that happened and the Kamen Rider would be damned if he let some naïve woman in a fuku stop him from doing his job!

Suddenly…a splash of water…

Chalice turned to the source of the noise and just barely spotted a shape coming out of the water. It was hard to tell, but it definitely wasn't human. That had to be the Hammerhead Undead! Gripping the Chalice Arrow, Chalice charged with a roar towards the emerging form. As he got closer, he found that it was indeed the Undead which he had been fighting. The beast had indeed been emerging from the pool to escape Chalice. However, hearing his charge, it looked up to see Chalice himself in front of him and swinging his weapon downwards. The blade of the weapon slashed through the Hammerhead Undead in a shower of sparks and green blood. The Undead fell back with a screech into the water before an explosion sent pool fluids flying in all directions.

Sailor Mercury gasped at the sight, unused to seeing so much violence. Charging towards where the armored man stood, she looked to see the creature he had been fighting drifting through the pool, motionless. Its belt buckle had snapped open to reveal three strange runes underneath. The armored man saw the creature groaning in the pool as it drifted along the surface before he opened a panel on the side of his belt and drew what looked to be a card of some kind. With a careless toss, the card flew from the man's hand and made contact with the monster. To her shock and scientific curiosity, the monster became engulfed in a green aura before actually being sucked inside the card. She thought she could see an image of a hammerhead shark on the card before it flew back into the man's hand.

"_That was close,_" Chalice sighed as he tucked the card into his case. Looking up, he spotted Sailor Mercury walking towards him with that same motherly stern look on her face. She probably meant business, but Chalice just couldn't find the heart to really take her seriously. If anything, it was almost pathetic in more than a few ways. Returning the Chalice Arrow to where he hid it while not in use, the Kamen Rider waited for the woman to reach him.

"Now, I must ask you again to please stop this senseless violence," she frowned. "You are in violation of the Queen's physical violence laws and have already broken her profanity laws in the last incident. I am afraid I must bring you to a secure location for an interrogation."

"_You're joking, right?_" Chalice scoffed. "_Listen, these monsters don't care who the Queen is, who her servants, are, or what position they are in and to be honest, neither do I. They are not going to stop just because the Queen said so. If anything, they'll just kill you because you're in the way. The only way you can stop them is by fighting them and frankly, I don't think anyone in this entire city has the guts to even get near one._"

"If we must fight, then we will do so," Mercury frowned. "Although we are a peaceful people, we will defend ourselves."

"_Like your guards did?_" Chalice snorted. "_Shooting magic from a distance isn't fighting. In fact, several of these monsters probably won't even notice it. If they did, they would just go at you."_

"But the Queen's laws-!" Mercury cried.

"_Her laws are wrong!_" Chalice snapped. "_My god are you really this dumb? Look in the pool!_" He gestured to the dead bodies. "_Are we seeing the same things? Your laws mean shit against these things! Magic means nothing! Peace means nothing! If you keep following these fanatical laws, your people are just going to be lambs to the slaughterhouse! There are still fifty of these monsters left and they aren't going to just stop because the Queen says so! In fact, they might just try to kill her because she's in the way!"_

Mercury was trembling in the face of Chalice's anger and his disrespectful words towards the Queen. How could one man be so full of rage and anger? What had she done to incite it? She was just following her Queen's laws. Surely the Queen's wisdom would see them through this crisis. After all, she was the one who brought them this age of peace and happiness. Granted, these monsters were powerful, but this man was wrong to think that sinking to their level would defeat them. There was a proper way of doing things and they would do so. It helped them defeat the enemy before and it would help them defeat these monsters.

"Who are you?" Sailor Mercury finally asked out of her shock and contemplation.

"_I am Kamen Rider Chalice,_" Chalice answered before he turned to the door. "_I suppose we'll see each other again soon enough. Next time though, try to help me rather than stop the fight. We'll save more lives that way._"

With that, Chalice walked through the door, grabbing a silver case as he went. Mercury blinked as she watched him go. She knew she should have arrested him, but he had caught her off guard and used her hesitation to escape. It was obvious that he was a radical, one of the most outspoken of his kind as well.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Spirit!<strong>"

Chalice slashed the Spirit Human through his belt and returned to his human from. A scowl was on his face from his interaction with Sailor Mercury. He knew of her through old Sailor Moon episodes, but she seemed like…such an airhead. She was supposed to have been this super smart girl in the series. What the hell happened to her now? She was acting like she didn't know what to do in a violent situation and seemed to keep forgetting what the Hammerhead Undead had done to those people in the pool. She was so committed to following laws that it seemed that was more important than stopping the Undead and saving the lives of innocent people. It was like…

…Order was the supreme force.

* * *

><p>AN: This is an idea I wrote up a while ago as sort of an offshoot of Forgotten Rider. Kyle Jones ends up landing somewhere else entirely than Wave Country and all of the Undead save for two are released.

All hell will break loose.

Kamen Rider Chrome convinced me to post this so I decided to see what you guys think here in Idea Farm. It used to be just one gigantic document and only was recently split into chapters. I don't really think it's my best, but I'll let you guys decide how good or bad it is.


	2. Turn 2

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. They belong to their respective creators and not me. So with the disclaimer out of the way, enjoy!**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 2: A Gathering! Making New Friends & New Allies!**

Kyle's eyes widened as he made it to the courtyard. Now he knew where he was! He was in Crystal Tokyo, the supposed utopia that the Sailor Scouts were hoping to achieve in the series! Ruled over by Neo Queen Serenity and Neo King Endymion, Crystal Tokyo was supposed to be the rebirth of the old Moon Kingdom, bringing happiness and peace all over the system. It was supposed to be like paradise, but all societies had to have a competent police force or else dissenters would get out of control. However, it seemed that the only policing forces were the guards and assumingly the Sailor Senshi and obviously they were unused to any amount of violence happening and almost clueless as to what to do about it. It was almost as if violence was something of the past that was only spoken of inside of history textbooks or other such things. Something people had heard about, but never witnessed for themselves.

Kyle was an avid fanfiction reader and he had seen a few renditions of what Crystal Tokyo was like. A few of them were nice, sort of like King Arthur's kingdom of Camelot or something along those lines. Others were a little grimmer. Oh, there was peace and happiness, sort of. Neo Queen Serenity was fanatical about order in those fics and in doing so, she wiped chaos and negativity off the face of the planet, turning the people into content cattle with no real drive of their own. They just lived their lives doing things the Queen deemed good and that was it. That was what made those fics so depressing; Neo Queen Serenity had become what she had fought so hard against, a dictator. The only difference between her and the likes of Wiseman and Beryl was that she promoted positivity and order while they promoted negativity and chaos.

"I've landed smack in the middle of that situation," Kyle realized as he rubbed his eyes. Now he knew why the guards from before used intimidation tactics, why there were profanity laws, why Sailor Mercury seemed so attached to the laws of the Queen. Violence and profanity was considered negative and outlawed by the Queen. The only fighting was magical because that was what the Senshi used. The Sailor Senshi were Serenity's agents of order and they used magic so using magic was considered positive and allowed. At least the Queen wasn't a hypocrite in that way.

Still, the Undead were a major force of chaos in their eyes because of their ways of battle and survival of the fittest. The Queen and her soldiers were going to try their hardest to stop them all. Not that it would help. They could capture an Undead, but not destroy one. Heck, probably Serenity herself had a chance of sealing one. The Undead were the first force of creation, created by Kami-sama Himself. They were older than even the Silver Imperium Crystal which Serenity got her power from. Kyle had some doubts of how effective it would be against the Undead themselves.

* * *

><p>Sailor Mercury looked over numerous files, trying to discover more about the mysterious Kamen Rider Chalice. The Queen was deeply disappointed and saddened to hear that another monster had appeared and took more lives for no reason. She had reinforced her previous decree to find and detain this man named Chalice for his complete lack of respect for the laws of Crystal Tokyo. He may be defending people from the monsters, which may earn him leniency, but there was a proper way of doing things and he needed to learn that. Personally, Mercury felt that if they could purify Chalice, he would become a most excellent warrior and ally for the crown.<p>

"Did you find anything yet Mercury?" asked Sailor Mars as she walked into the archives where Mercury was doing her research.

"Nothing concrete," Mercury replied with a disappointed sigh. "Kamen Rider Chalice has never made any appearance or even a glimpse until the appearance of that plant Youma which went on a rampage."

"So absolutely nothing," Mars sighed in frustration.

"Well, I did find something which may be of some consideration," Mercury replied as she pulled up an article which told on an ancient means of fortune-telling known as Tarot cards. "The motif on Chalice's armor is that of a heart, but he calls himself Chalice. I cross-referenced the name and the mention of hearts and this is what I got. Apparently, hearts in a regular playing deck are part of the cups suit in tarot cards, otherwise known as a-"

"Chalice," Mars frowned as she eyed the article and the cup cards the pictures depicted. "But…aren't there also three other suits?"

"Yes, Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs in a regular playing deck," Mercury nodded before she brought up three more images. "Spades are the swords in Tarot decks, Diamonds are the coins, and the Clubs are the wands."

"So if there is a common theme here," Mars frowned as her eyes widened in surprise. "Then we might be expecting three more like Chalice to appear!"

"That's what frightens me," Mercury agreed. "Four violent people like them running around? It sends shivers down my spine."

"That's why we have to capture Chalice now before his allies appear," Mars replied. With this new information in hand, she left the archives to collect a force which would capture Chalice.

* * *

><p>Kyle sighed as he entered the dorm room which was supplied to him by the Academic Placement Program. At least he didn't have to worry about a place to stay now. Setting his case to the side, he examined the room. It looked like a simple dorm room to him: a closet, a bathroom, a bed, and a computer. Everything a student needed. On his bed was a simple white uniform which most students wore around the school. Kyle suspected that he wouldn't be allowed to wear his normal clothes to classes for another day lest he face punishment. Sighing, he tossed the uniform into the closet and lay down on the bed, trying to think about his situation.<p>

The Undead were still out there. They had to be sealed again no matter what lest they go on a rampage and start killing everyone in the city. He also didn't have faith in the Sailor Senshi's abilities in stopping them. Well, maybe if they were the Sailor Senshi from the Dead Moon or Sailor Stars arcs maybe they would be able to do it. These Senshi who have apparently gotten soft after so much peace and contentment with no drive to improve? Not a chance. The Undead were primed for battle since day one and they weren't going to sit back and let it go to waste. They would fight whoever they wanted whenever they wanted.

A knock at the door shook Kyle out of his thoughts. Getting up and going to the door, he opened it. To some surprise, he saw that Amethyst was at the door looking as perky as ever. At least she was clothed this time. She was wearing what looked like a white girl's outfit and her purple hair was done up in a braid with the front of her hair framing her face and resting over her forehead.

"Hi!" she smiled. "Hey, me and some friends were going to go to the park for some fun and I wanted to know if you would like to join us. I mean, it would be a little odd for me if I didn't bring a friend. I first thought of you, so here I am!"

"Is this another attempt to see if we're compatible?" Kyle asked suspiciously, remembering her talk about the Love Ministry…among other things.

"A little," Amethyst smiled shyly. "I mean, you left so fast in the shower and I didn't get to talk to you again for the rest of the day. When my friends told me they were planning on some entertainment, I thought I could bring you."

Kyle pondered the invitation for a moment. No doubt the definition of fun was different between Amethyst and himself. Still, he could use some friends in this strange place and Amethyst was definitely easy on the eyes if anything else. The sight he had seen in the shower was definitely nice to see, even if Kyle would not talk about that sort of thing out loud. There was still the Undead to consider, but having found that he had senses of their attacks like Hajime did in the series, he wasn't too concerned about missing an attack.

"I suppose I could come," Kyle shrugged. "When do you want to leave?"

"Right now if you can!" Amethyst smiled brightly.

Kyle scratched his head. After fighting two Undead in a single day, he was feeling more than a little tired. Still, Amethyst had come all this way to invite him so it would be a little rude to deny her. Besides, meeting new people might work out to his advantage. He wouldn't be friendless if the people Amethyst wanted to bring him to meet weren't snobs like the rest of the people inside the city limits. He had more than enough of dealing with those kinds of people.

"I guess I can go," Kyle shrugged.

"Great!" Amethyst smiled. "You don't have to change! They'll love what you're wearing."

Grabbing Kyle's hand, Amethyst yanked him out of the door, giving him barely enough time to shut his door behind him. He didn't question where Amethyst was taking him since he had doubts that the girl had a bad bone in her body. Heading across streets and through the odd park where green was a dominant color rather than the usual white which made up the majority of the buildings. Amethyst was a girl on a mission and what that mission was, Kyle didn't know.

Eventually, the pair reached what looked like a forest inside a rather large plot of land. There were no guards or fences so Kyle assumed that it was public property. Still, he just had to know what he was looking at. Everything he had seen so far had a function to the society he had been planted in. Curious, he voiced his question to Amethyst who just smiled at him, "It's a forest preserve. Here even people who lived in the city their entire lives can enjoy the gifts of nature. My friends and I hang out here a lot. I hope you like it too."

Entering the forest ground, Kyle and Amethyst passed through several trees. It didn't escape Kyle's notice that all of the trees were in rows with only open spots in a circle. Some were occupied with people who had all sorts of gadgets he assumed to be made for camping. However, it seemed to Kyle that it just brought home outside. It wasn't camping; it was just changing the scenery of the home. It just reaffirmed to him that the people in Crystal Tokyo were wimps in almost every sense of the word. Ignoring them, Kyle and Amethyst continued on with their trek.

Walking deeper through the rows of trees, Kyle and Amethyst entered one of the clearings which were littering the area. A small campfire was lit, looking perfect and burning pre-cut pieces of timber. The people around the fire though the same age as Kyle and Amethyst, but looked somewhat different. At the far right of the small clearing was a young man who wore brown pants with a brown vest over his white school shirt, but left unbuttoned. His hair was red and short with a wild spiked look to it. He had an easy smirk on his face and seemed a little childish in a round sort of way.

Second in the group was another young man, but he left his white button up shirt wide open with a dark blue shirt underneath it. His hair was short, but a deep shade of blue and rather styled. His clothes were rather neatly pressed and didn't look like they had been able to attract the dirt or grass that he was sitting on. His face was more angular and mature than the redhead. He looked a little stoic, but his eyes weren't as cold as the rest of him seemed. The instincts of Chalice seeped over to Kyle enough to see that.

Leaning against the stoic guy was a short-haired blonde with a loving smile on her face. She looked as mature as the stoic guy with the figure to match. She wore a schoolgirl outfit like every other student. She had long socks on, but kept them bunched up at the bottom to make an appearance like legwarmers. Kyle had seen the look on schoolgirls in Japanese cartoon shows. She had a slight tan on her skin, making her hair seem almost golden. She turned her head slightly to reveal a long ponytail at the back

The third was another girl who likewise wore the girls' uniform, but had left it unbuttoned to reveal a black tube top underneath. She had long green hair and had black gloves on. She also wore black high heels. She looked very…womanly, was the word Kyle thought of when he saw her. Her skin seemed a little pale in comparison to her bright green hair, but it was a look that suited her. She seemed a little stand-offish, but at least willing to accept his presence.

Lastly with his arm wrapped around the waist of the green-haired girl was a fellow dressed in the proper school uniform with his tie hanging loosely around his neck. His hair was pure white and reached down to his jaw. It seemed to be completely natural. He had a strong jaw line and natural good looks. All in all, the kind of guy you'd expect to see on the cover of a magazine or something. Still, he seemed to be willing to accept Kyle's sudden appearance next to Amethyst.

"Hey, who's this guy?" asked the redhead. "I thought this was going to be a small get together."

"He's the new guy if what I heard is correct," the blue-haired boy observed. "I would suspect that Amethyst wanted to make him feel welcomed. Am I right?"

"That's right!" Amethyst smiled. She then gestured to Kyle as if she was showing off a prize like on some game show. "Everyone, this is Kyle Jones. He is the new one at the school and I thought we could give him a nice welcome."

"Amethyst, you know we don't conform to what the majority of the population does," the green-haired girl sighed as she leaned deeper into her man's hold.

"Well…I just thought it would be nice," Amethyst mumbled shyly, suddenly becoming less confident with herself.

"Now, now," the white-haired boy waved, disarming the situation. "We're not here to cause trouble. We're all here to relax and I think that having a new face around might be interesting. Still, Amethyst introduced him to us so I think it's fair she introduce us to him. If you would Amethyst?"

"Right!" Amethyst smiled, getting her bubbliness back again. "Kyle, these are my friends. First on the left is Rubeus Kurenai. Next is Safir Aoi and his girlfriend Topazu Kiiro. Finally is my Nee-sama Esmeraude Midori and Nii-sama, Demand Shiroi."

"Hi!" Topazu smield with a wave of her own.

"Pleasure's mine," Kyle smiled as he took a seat around the fire with Amethyst at his side. "So, what do you guys usually do out here anyway?"

"Anything we want," Rubeus smirked. "We're on our own, we're independent, we can even do 'radical' things if we so dare." He reached into his pocket and produced a set of playing cards. Kyle thought it must have been ironic that they play a game with the four suits when he was busy fighting monsters who were part of those suits. "I say we sit here and enjoy some good old-fashioned gambling for a while. I need some extra spending money."

"I know better than to play with you!" Esmeraude pouted. "You cleaned me out of every cent I had the last time!"

"A harsh lessoned we all learned," Demand chuckled as Rubeus frowned.

"How about that guy who fought the Youma today?" asked Topazu. "He showed up at the marketplace first and then in our own school! Everyone says he fought the monsters with his bare hands and even swore when the Crystal Guards tried to arrest him for it."

"Ha!" Rubeus laughed. "About time someone stood up to those goofs. They don't know aggression from a hole in the ground! I'm just glad to see that someone in this whole city has some balls to fight a Youma themselves rather than letting the Sailor Senshi do all the work while they get killed off like sheep."

"Amen," Kyle sighed. "People ran from that thing like chickens with their heads cut off. They didn't stop for anything, even to see if there was anyone left to save. It was like they thought if they weren't a soldier, they didn't have to be good citizens and help others."

"A mindset that a majority of the city agrees with," Demand sighed. "If you aren't someone in a career who helps others in situations like that, you generally shouldn't worry about that sort of thing. I think it's something that the ruling monarchy put out in the city to keep vigilantes down so to keep order in the city."

"That's hypocrisy," Kyle frowned. "The Sailor Senshi all started out as vigilantes when they first got their powers. I say it's more like they don't want anyone to become more popular with the citizens than them. If that happened then it might start turning people against the monarchy's ideals of contentment and order."

"How'd you know that?" asked Rubeus.

"Just a little research," Kyle shrugged, but Safir's gaze stayed pointed at him.

"That's a good point," Topazu nodded. "I heard news reports that the man's name is Kamen Rider Chalice and that he's wanted by Neo Queen Serenity herself for breaking her laws and even talking so disrespectfully about her laws when he faced Sailor Mercury."

"Hmph!" Esmeraude huffed. "The monarchy gets all stirred up because someone speaks his mind and isn't afraid to get his hands dirty. It figures."

Kyle began feeling at home as he and the other students spoke to each other about complaints they had about the monarchy. They all seemed to agree that the physical aggression and profanity laws were a load of crock, especially against the 'Youma' that would kill people rather than simply drain their energy for their own purposes. Rubeus was a staunch supporter of fighting physically since it was as good as magic in his eyes. Topazu, Esmeraude, and Amethyst all preferred the free speech idea since they hated how laws like the profanity laws existed. Demand and Safir kept their silence now and then, but they agreed that some of the laws that Neo Queen Serenity had in her doctrine were a little unrealistic. What made it worse was that people were following them. The group of friends easily talked into the night about their concerns and/or complaints about Crystal Tokyo.

When Esmeraude brought out drinks from a set of packs that Kyle had noticed before, Kyle learned that heavy alcoholic drinks like beer and whiskey were outlawed and the lager she had managed to find was in fact smuggled into the city which she bought through a bootlegger. The only alcohol allowed was in the form of champagne or wine, like the kind served at royal functions or other high-class parties. Demand explained that Neo Queen Serenity held galas quite frequently for the nobles of Crystal Tokyo and such light alcoholic drinks were always served. Of course, Kyle was beginning to think that Neo Queen Serenity was trying to turn the city into her own fairy tale kingdom as well as a pinnacle of order. Anything that would be found in a romantic era kingdom was permitted while everything else was apparently outlawed. Violence, bad words, things that made people mean like booze sometimes did, it was all not permitted. Something Demand voiced out at one point.

"In that case these monsters must be a huge punch in the face," Esmeraude snickered, hearing Demand's comparison. "They kill, they destroy, and they don't take prisoners."

"Not to mention that the knight in shining armor doesn't act at all knightly," Amethyst nodded with a naughty giggle.

"No time to follow the rules of chivalry when there's peoples' lives at stake," Kyle sighed.

"Exactly!" Rubeus laughed. "What's the point in posturing and making a scene unless it's going to distract the enemy and let you get him from behind? Otherwise it's all just one big stupid waste of a sneak attack!"

Kyle nodded his agreement when he was suddenly hit with another scream inside of his skull. The world in front of him changed at he saw the movements of another Undead about to attack. This time he saw the night sky, trees, large leathery wings, people below, bright lights near them. It all pointed to an Undead that could fly. However, very few of them could actually do that much so it somewhat cut down on the list of suspects. The last section of the vision faded away revealing a circle of people around a campfire which was almost too bright for normal eyes to take. Still, it was coming closer than ever before.

"Kyle?" asked Amethyst, seeing her new friend flinch. "Are you okay?"

"Am I?" Kyle gasped as he looked around. An Undead was approaching and he had to be prepared to fight it, but where was it coming from? Standing up, he looked into the night sky to try and see just where this flying Undead was going to attack from.

"Hey, you feeling okay?" asked Rubeus. "Was Esmeraude's booze too strong or something?"

"I think we all may have had too -" Safir began before he was suddenly interrupted.

"SCREEEEEEEEE!"

A black shape dove down from above and swiped at the fire as it landed on the ground, snuffing the light as it screeched angrily. In the light of the moon, Kyle could see the image of the monster. It was donned in black armor which looked like muscle cords with a black mask which revealed large fangs. Its hands looked like large bat wings which were partially folded up. It had a slight Mohawk on its head and its feet were confined in black leather with claws sticking out. The ornate belt it was wearing also signaled what the monster was. It was without a doubt an Undead.

"Category 8 of Diamonds," Kyle growled to himself. "Scope Bat."

Safir heard Kyle's words and turned to look at him curiously.

"You just crashed the wrong party buddy!" Rubeus growled as he pulled out a pair of gloves which had metal knuckles. Yanking them on, he dashed towards the Bat Undead before rearing back and sending a powerful punch forward. The Bat Undead actually heard the attack coming and dodged the blow before backhanding the redhead across the face. Rubeus flew backwards and skidded across the grass before coming to a stop near a tree.

"Rubeus!" Amethyst gasped in shock.

"Everyone get back!" Demand shouted, drawing what looked like a wooden sword from his own pack. Esmeraude had produced a metal fan which had bladed edges hidden underneath green fabric which matched her hair. Topazu had drawn senbon needles while Safir had managed to produce an extendable staff. Amethyst herself had likewise brought a weapon, a slingshot which she kept loaded with what seemed to be marbles.

The Bat Undead wasn't intimidated as it saw the group produce weapons. If anything, it just made it eager to fight. Taking in the sight of the enemies, it suddenly screeched loudly into the night. Almost immediately, flapping noises could be heard before seemingly hundreds of bats began flying through the trees, swarming the area. Amethyst shrieked while Esmeraude tried frantically to keep them away. Safir and Demand shielded their eyes while Topazu kept her cool. The bats even went for Kyle, but he didn't wait for them to try and distract him while the Bat Undead went for the kill. Concentrating, there was a red flash on his waist which turned into his Joker Belt. Drawing the Ace of Hearts, he slashed it through with a cry of, "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

The static field erupted over Kyle, forcing the bats to flee from the energy. His body shifted and changed inside the field before he re-emerged as Chalice. The Bat Undead stared at the opponent before him before screeching loudly and charging. Chalice drew his weapon before likewise going for his opponent.

With the bats gone, the group of students could see clearly again and what they saw made their jaws drop. Esmeraude was the first to speak as she managed to gasp out, "He…He's Chalice?"

"Wow," Topazu gaped as she watched the two fighters go at each other.

"What the hell?" Rubeus grumbled as he began getting up from his prompt flight.

"Kyle?" Amethyst blinked in shock.

Chalice rolled underneath a swipe from the Bat Undead before slashing sideways with his Chalice Arrow. Sparks flew from the impact against the Bat Undead's chest. The beast screeched in pain before lunging at him with its hands outstretched. It slammed against Chalice and pinned him to a tree with its hands pressing against the sides of his head. Grunting from the pressure, Chalice kneed the Bat Undead in the side, making it grunt. In pain and angry, it tossed Chalice to the side. The Kamen Rider grunted from the impact before he got to his knees, seeing the Bat Undead approach. He was about to try some Rouze Cards when suddenly, needles and marbles collided against the head and chest of the Undead, making it screech again.

"Take this!" Topazu frowned as she and Amethyst fired more of their ammunition at the monster.

The Bat Undead screeched and dashed for the pair. However, Demand and Safir were quick to respond. Demand went high by smacking the Undead in the head with his wooden sword while Safir went low by knocking its feet out from under it, making it hit the dirt. The Bat Undead attempted to get back up again and swipe at Demand, but Esmeraude put a stop to that by slashing its shoulder, forcing the Undead to roll on the ground in pain.

For his part, Chalice was surprised that humans were doing so well against an Undead. Then again, if a guy who sold Takoyaki could harm an Undead, A Category Queen of all things, with a hot frying pan, then a bunch of students who seemed to have some skill in weapons could probably hold their own for a little while. Even so, they wouldn't be able to beat it and it would only take one slip up for the Undead to take advantage of and kill them all in its rage. He had to end this fight fast! Taking his Rouzer, he snapped it into place on his Chalice Arrow before drawing the only two Rouze Cards he had which was suitable for battle.

"**Bio! Chop!**"

Both cards released energy versions of their images as they were slashed through. The Bio Plant image was absorbed into the Rouzer while the Chop Head Image moved into Chalice's free arm. As the Bat Undead managed to get back up, Chalice lashed out with his weapon, summoning a vine, and wrapped it around the Bat Undead, keeping it still. With his target stationary, he charged at it with his free arm in a chop position. Bringing his arm back as he got closer, Chalice lashed out with a chop which dug into the abdomen of the Bat Undead, making it gag out green blood that splattered out of its mouth and onto Chalice's shoulder, indicating an internal injury.

The Bat Undead stumbled backwards, gasping for breath after the attack. Its body then just seemed to fail as it fell backwards and unleashed an explosion. The students covered their eyes as they shielded themselves from the light and heat, but the fires died down soon enough. Chalice examined the groaning form of the Bat Undead and saw that its belt had opened up, indicating that it had been defeated and could be sealed. Reaching to his belt, he drew a Proper Blank before tossing it through the air. The card landed on the Bat Undead before turning it into green energy and sucking it in. The card then flew back to Chalice's hand, depicting a bat in the picture rather than just chains.

"_I suppose you want an explanation,_" Chalice guessed, not even looking at his new friends.

"Not here," Safir answered. "Back on campus. Your dorm."

"_Fine,_" Chalice sighed before drawing the Two of Hearts and slashing it through.

"**Spirit!**"

Engulfed in the static field yet again, Chalice emerged as regular Kyle Jones once more. Looking to his friends, he gestured them to follow him as they collected up their packs. It was time to give some answers.

* * *

><p>"Any clues?" asked Sailor Mars as she and Sailor Jupiter supervised some Crystal Guards who were examining an abandoned building where a few dead bodies were apparently stored. The bodies were all in a pile like they had been dropped like trash. All of them likewise had two holes in their necks where the blood was apparently drained out of them. More than a few of the guards had passed out or gotten sick at the sight. It was only because of the experiences the two Senshi had in their lives that prevented them from doing the same.<p>

"Nothing concrete," Jupiter sighed. "All we really know is that these people were drained of blood before being left here like droppings. Markings on the rafters suggest that something was hanging up there, probably whatever did this."

"Such senseless violence," Mars sighed. "Why are these monsters doing this? What could they possibly gain by killing innocent people? Surely they know how much more valuable people are when they are alive!"

"They're monsters. They don't think like we do," Jupiter replied. "I suppose that's what makes them monsters though."

"Amen," Mars agreed.

* * *

><p>"So…just what are those monsters anyway?" asked Topazu as she and her friends relocated back to Kyle's dorm, wanting answers to the situation they had just found themselves witnessing. All of them were waiting for Kyle's response as he placed five cards with rather ornate artwork onto the table.<p>

"They're called Undead," Kyle answered as he placed the Spirit Human down last. "Where they came from and what they want is a rather long story."

"We have time," Demand replied.

"Fine. You asked for it," Kyle shrugged. "The Undead were created by the Almighty Himself, the first living beings to be placed on this earth. Each of them was a representation of one of His creations. They only had one purpose, to fight. The last one standing had their progeny to populate the world. If you hadn't guessed, it was the Human Undead who won or else we wouldn't be able to be here doing what we do."

"Woah," Amethyst gasped in shock. "That's incredible!"

"Then what are they doing here and now if they're so damn old?" asked Rubeus with a frown.

"Well, I remember being hit with a teleportation spell before waking up here in Crystal Tokyo," Kyle lied. "I woke up next to the case where the cards were kept and only found the Two and Ace of Hearts so I assume that they were released by the spell itself. Believe it or not, that all happened today of all things. One day and already I have three Undead sealed away. I think I might have a knack for this if anything else."

"How many Undead are there?" asked Esmeraude.

"How many cards in a playing deck?" Kyle retorted.

"Fifty-two," Rubeus replied.

"Fifty-four, including the two Jokers," Kyle corrected. "That's how many Undead there are. With these five here, that number went down to forty-nine, but that's still a lot of them left. Of course, things aren't going to get much easier with the Sailor Senshi and their Crystal Guard trying to hunt me down just because I used physical violence and curse when I'm agitated. In fact, they might just make it worse."

"I heard you got mad at Sailor Mercury when she tried to help," commented Safir.

"She didn't try to help, she tried to stop the fight," Kyle frowned. "She cared more that we were using physical violence than stopping the monster that killed some of the students in the school. Of course I'd lose it on her. I thought she was one of the smart ones but it seemed so much peace and lack of growth turned her into an airhead just like all of the other Senshi." This commented caused some small laughter to ripple around the group.

"Do you have to seal them all yourself?" asked Demand.

"Maybe not," Kyle replied before producing the Blade, Garren, and Leangle Systems from his silver case. "These three buckles can produce a suit of armor similar to mine which can allow regular humans to fight against the Undead. However, they can't be used yet."

"Why not?" asked Rubeus, frustrated that he was so close to joining in the fight, but still so far away.

"Because I need the Category Ace of Spades, Diamonds, and Clubs to make them work," Kyle replied with a sigh. "It's not something I'm looking forward to since they're some of the strongest Undead in the bunch. I'm hoping to get a few more Rouze Cards into my arsenal since my weapon allows me to draw the power of the cards to use in attacks. That's what I used to beat the Bat Undead. The power of the Hammerhead and Plant Undead came in handy."

"Amazing," Safir whispered in curiosity as he examined the Scope Bat card. Just over an hour ago the monster within the card was attacking them. Now it was trapped within such a small item which Kyle could use as a weapon against further Undead.

"So tell me about you guys," Kyle finally asked. "I mean, ever since I got here all I've found are people who are scared of violence, scared of swearing, and are basically the biggest bunch of wimps I have ever seen. What makes all of you so different?"

"Well," Demand replied nervously as he seemed to become rather embarrassed. "The reason is that all of us are rather distantly related to members of the Black Moon Clan. You know, the criminals banished to Nemesis because they refused to be purified like the rest of the world was when Crystal Tokyo was founded."

"I've heard," Kyle nodded, recalling Sailor Moon information he read about. It was one of the hints he had seen that Neo Queen Serenity was becoming a little fanatical about her regime of order and peace. It was probably one of the first signs of it happening, even thought maybe not everyone caught onto the hint.

"Well, because of our exposure to the Jakokusuishou before it was destroyed, we had some extra negativity in our bodies," Demand explained. "When that negativity was removed after our ancestors defected to Earth, were just…remained the same. We don't seem as inclined to order as Neo Queen Serenity would prefer her subjects to be, but we aren't as negative as the clan was back when the Death Phantom tricked our ancestors into attacking a much younger Crystal Tokyo."

"So in all, you guys are a balance between positive and negative," Kyle pondered.

"Yes," Demand nodded. "Unfortunately, we've been branded as radicals most of our lives because of how we act, talk, and think. Not many people really want anything to do with us. We follow the laws and such in public, but some of them we tend to question a lot. Some of them just don't make any sense whatsoever. Of course, other things we tend to see as blessings in one form or another."

"Like the guidelines of the Love Ministry!" Amethyst chirped. "Now I know what steps to follow to get a boyfriend of my own!"

"You're the only one who likes that you know," Esmeraude commented.

"Nee-sama! How mean!" Amethyst pouted. "Not everyone can find their soul mate so quickly like you and Nii-sama did!"

"I guess I'm just lucky," Esmeraude purred as she leaned against Demand lovingly.

"You don't have to rub it in Nee-sama!" Amethyst pouted.

Kyle smiled as he watched the two girls bicker. Somehow, he had found a place where he could relax. Still, he had to wonder. The Undead never attacked so fast in the series. Was it because they couldn't find anything else to do or was it because of something else? Still, three Undead in one day, any more and he might begin to drop.

* * *

><p>"<em>So he sealed the Bat, did he?<em>" a voice chuckled inside a dark place. "_I'll never understand why he wants to protect these sheep. They don't even qualify as human. We'd be doing the world a favor by wiping these fools out. Still, if nothing else, he's an interesting foe. Not one day in possession of the power and he knows how to use it so well. I wonder where he learned it all from._"

Walking along several dead bodies of what appeared to be salary men, the figure looked out a window at the nighttime Crystal Tokyo, looking at it with disgust. Peace? That was an illusion here. Happiness? The people didn't know what being happy was about. They were just content. Order? Well, there was that, but only that. The ruling party claimed that they had brought a kingdom of peace and happiness. No, what they created was a fanatical empire with self-righteous wording. They were just like any other two-bit conqueror. They just got away with it. Well, if his plans worked out then things would definitely change.

* * *

><p>AN: Part two of the idea farm edition of the Kamen Rider Chalice idea. I hope you guys enjoy it. Again, it doesn't feel like my best but here it is anyway. I know not everyone will enjoy this version of Crystal Tokyo but people seem to have a split opinion on how it turns out so I decided on the bad way for the sake of this fic. For referance on the behaviour of the people, try watching Demolition Man starring Sylvester Stallone. That's what inspired this version of Crystal Tokyo.


	3. Turn 3

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 3: The Fury of Four! Elemental Battle!**

A new day dawned on the people of Crystal Tokyo and the people were up to greet it and begin their day. Kyle was no different as he pulled on the white school uniform. Still, he wanted to have at least some variety to his new clothes or else he was going to feel like part of an ant colony or something. Demand and the others took his being Chalice and the situation with the Undead rather well. It was definitely shocking, but they actually seemed to enjoy the tale, even more so since they knew it was real.

It had been three days since his strange arrival and no more Undead had made an appearance, yet. They were all laying low for some odd reason. That in itself was odd since the lower class Undead usually went about doing whatever they wanted for the sake of the Battle Fight. Either the Royal Class were recruiting them quickly or the lower class Undead were trying to situate themselves before going their way into killing sprees and such.

Class went on as usual for Kyle. He forced himself to get used to the downloading of the knowledge rather than the traditional ways of learning. It still made his head hurt, but it was getting less every day and didn't last long after class ended anyway. Gym class still left him a frustrated mess when Amethyst would talk to him in the showers, exposing her body to him yet again. Didn't the majority of people in Crystal Tokyo have a libido? That was just crazy to the out of place young man.

Today was a day off and Kyle was going to hang out with Demand, Safir, and Rubeus. They knew a good place to get ice cream that fit a student budget since it was usually so expensive, being considered a high-class food. Of course, Kyle suspected it was considered as such because Neo Queen Serenity loved it like nothing else. Thankfully, Demand had enough money along with Safir and Rubeus to get some for themselves and for Kyle, since he had no money coming to Crystal Tokyo in the first place.

Dragging himself out the door Kyle exited the dorms and made his way to Fountain Square. It got its name from the very ornate fountain that was in the middle of the square itself. It was surrounded by stores and other such places. The one that Kyle was looking for was at a corner in the general area. It didn't take him long since he spotted Rubeus' hair a mile away sitting next to Safir and Demand, chatting about something. Kyle immediately walked over to his new friends and waved in greeting before sitting down at a free seat.

"Ah, hello," Demand smiled with a wave. "Glad you could make it. We were just about to order."

"Then I'm just in time," Kyle grinned.

"You're lucky we didn't order already," Rubeus grumbled, obviously hungry.

Kyle smiled as he and his friends ordered what they wanted. He didn't want it to be too expensive, but Demand insisted to get what he wanted since he had more than enough money to pay for anything his friends ordered. When their orders arrived they dug in, talking about what they thought they should do with their day off. Rubeus offered to find a good sport game somewhere, but he was shot down since neither Safir nor Demand were avid sports fans. Safir suggested one of the museums, but Rubeus shot him down by pretending to snore, which earned a few looks from the people around them. Kyle just watched the antics with a grin. It was almost like being at home again. No stuffy city, no fanatic Queens or Sailor Senshi, and no Undead running around on killing sprees.

WHABOOOOOM!

"What was that?" Demand gasped in shock, turning to see where the commotion had come from. To the four boys' horror, a large fireball could be seen rising into the air.

"I'll give you three guesses and the first two don't count," Rubeus frowned, pulling out his metal knuckle gloves.

"Most likely another Undead," Safir agreed, his eyes narrowing.

"I'm on it," Kyle growled as he took off running towards the source of the commotion.

Again the civilians were running and screaming like they had seen the most terrifying thing in existence. They were all scrambling to get away and probably more than one civilian got trampled underneath. No one sopped to look back or see if there was anyone to save. The mentality of only soldiers dealing with such problems was alive and well. Squeezing through the crowds, Kyle was expecting to see one Undead rampaging around to its heart's content. However, that wasn't what he got. He didn't get one Undead…

He got four of them.

Setting several of the decorative trees ablaze was an insect-like Undead which had black chitin armor that reflected the light. It had a skeletal face with two short antennae coming out of its head. The armor around its clawed feet and hands were a dark red along with a few red highlights on its chest armor. Spikes ran down its shoulders and arms, making it look tougher. A long shell was on its back, giving it an assumed ability of flight. It was spewing fire out of its mouth as it burned anything it could get its hands on, including the odd civilian who couldn't get away. This was the Category 6 of Diamonds, the Fire Fly, or the Firefly Undead.

The second Undead looked more avian with dark feathers rising from its shoulders. It had leather straps crossing over its chest with more feathers sticking out. Its head was hawk-like with feather steams hanging from the sides like earrings. Its hands and feet were black talons and the usual buckle for the Undead was strapped around its waist. On its back was a pair of feathery wings which the Undead was using to send gusts of wind to blow away anything which wasn't nailed down into the buildings with enough force to crack the stone it was made of. Kyle immediately guessed it as the Category 6 of Hearts, the Tornado Hawk.

The Third Undead was dressed in a pair of black pants and a leather torso covering. Its arms were home to tan fur which ended in hands covered in more black. Its head seemed to be covered in a skull-like mask with antlers growing out of its head. The Undead was lumbering across the battlefield with electric sparks falling from said antlers. Every so often, it would fire bolts of electricity at anything that moved, namely stragglers that the Firefly Undead managed to miss. Those people lit up like Christamas trees before collapsing to the ground in a charred and burned mess. Only an idiot wouldn't see that this was the Category 6 of Spades, the Thunder Deer.

The final Undead was considerably larger than the others with a greater muscle mass. Its body was covered by black leather armor like the others with its arms bare, showing thick white fur. Its hands were large white paws with black nails while its head was covered with a black skeletal mask similar to that of a bear. White fur rose from around its neck like a parka while its feet matched its hands. The Undead would shoot icy breath out from its mouth and freeze objects solid out of apparent amusement. This was easily one of the few Undead that Kyle didn't recognize from appearance, but more out of recognition from its powers. This was the Category 6 of Clubs, the Blizzard Polar or Polar Bear Undead.

Kyle withheld the urge to groan at the sight. All four of the elemental Undead were in one spot causing havoc. They seemed to be content on destroying things, but would get into spats with each other now and then before moving on to smash something else. As far as Kyle knew, that wasn't normal behavior. Undead would seek each other out to fight and compete in the Battle Fight. If they were ignoring each other in favor of causing mayhem, then someone else was pulling the strings. If that was the case then most likely one of the Royal Class Undead since they had a history of being able to force the lower classes to serve them.

"Here we go again," Kyle sighed as he drew his Ace of Hearts. "Henshin!"

"**Change!**" the Rouzer called as the card was slashed through.

Engulfed in the static field, Kyle emerged as Chalice before he charged at the Undead that were content to cause general mayhem. Drawing the Chalice Arrow, he targeted the Deer Undead first, who had yet to notice him. Slashing, he caught the Deer Undead in the back, making it cry out in pain. Turning to glare at him, the Thunder Deer growled and sent a surge of electricity at the Kamen Rider, aiming to electrocute him like it did the other civilians. Chalice would not be such an easy target as he rolled to the side to avoid the shock. It was a near thing though as he felt the sizzling of the air as it went past him. Getting up, he prepared to fire at the Deer Undead when…

FWOOSH!

"_Agh!_" Chalice cried as he felt a burning sensation on his back. Stumbling from the blow, he turned to see the Firefly Undead charging at him with smoke coming out of its mouth. Grunting from the pain, Chalice leaped at the Undead and slashed at it widely, forcing it to duck underneath the blow. Before it could get back up, Chalice used his knee to plow the monster in the face, forcing to stumble backwards.

Something moved in the corner of Chalice's eye and he turned, only to get decked in the face by the Polar Bear Undead. A loud crash followed by the world spinning was all Chalice saw as he stumbled from the blow. Trying to recover, he was suddenly thrown off his feet by a huge gust of wind and sent into the fountain which the square was named for. Gasping for breath, Chalice looked to see the four elemental Undead walking towards him in a line. Four in one place was a coincidence, but all four teaming up against him? Now that was organization and that meant that this was a trap.

"_I am so dumb,_" Chalice muttered to himself.

As the four Undead got closer to him, there was a sudden cry out from above, "Halt! You will cease this at once!"

Chalice and the four Undead looked up atop one of the buildings. To little surprise for the Kamen Rider, three Sailor Senshi were standing on top of it. The first had long black hair with a red skirt and high heels. He easily recognized her as Sailor Mars. The second was a tall woman with brown hair tied in a ponytail with rose earrings, a green skirt and pink bow with green boots. If Chalice's guess was right, she was Sailor Jupiter. The last one had long blonde hair and in an orange version of the uniform complete with a red bow in her hair. She was Sailor Venus or Chalice was no Kamen Rider.

"You are all in violation of the Queen's laws against murder and physical violence!" Jupiter called out. "Surrender immediately before were are forced to use severe methods!"

"It is in your best interest and that of the Queen's if you do," Sailor Venus added.

"_Oh give me a break,_" Chalice groaned. He looked to see that the four Undead were suitably distracted, wondering if they should finish Chalice first or perhaps deal with the three interlopers which had arrived on the scene. The Kamen Rider knew that he had an opportunity to take at least one Undead down now, but which one. The Deer Undead would fry him in the fountain he was in and the Polar Bear would freeze him. The Hawk Undead probably wouldn't care, but the Firefly Undead…

"_C'mere!_" Chalice growled, capturing the Firefly Undead in a headlock before pulling him into the fountain water.

"_EEEEYYYAAHHHHHH!_" the Firefly Undead screeched as it hit the water, bringing up a cloud of steam. Being a creature of fire, water was definitely not one of the aspects of nature that the Firefly Undead enjoyed. The beast struggled in pain and fury as it attempted to get out of the water. Chalice took the opportunity to begin fighting again by punching the Firefly Undead in the face, knocking it out of the fountain, thoroughly soaked.

"Hey! We said stop!" Sailor Mars cried as she and her two fellow Senshi leaped down to end the conflict.

Chalice ignored them as he leaped from the fountain and slashed the Firefly Undead across the chest in a rain of sparks. The other three Undead were already coming out of their confusion and were charging for Chalice, seeing him as the greater threat. The Sailor Senshi were likewise approaching, attempting to stop what they saw as 'senseless' violence which was so antithesis to their society. Undeterred, Chalice kicked the Firefly Undead away before attaching his Rouzer to his Chalice Arrow and drawing a card.

"**Bio!**" his Rouzer called as the power of the Plant Undead was absorbed into it. Rearing his weapon back, Chalice lashed out with a long green vine which wrapped around the three Undead and forced them to the ground when one of the trio tripped. The vine wouldn't hold them forever so Chalice knew he had to work quickly before either they got free or the Senshi got in his way. Turning back to the Firefly Undead, the monster attempted to launch another fireball at him, but only coughed up a cloud of smoke. Apparently it had swallowed some water while in the fountain. Bad for it, but perfect for Chalice.

"_Here I come, Firefly!_" Chalice roared before he charged the Firefly Undead again. When he was close enough, he slashed the Firefly Undead right down the middle in a massive spray of sparks and a screech from the target itself. The Firefly Undead fell to the ground, bringing a small explosion from the release of energy at its defeat. Its buckle opened with an audible snap, signaling Chalice for his next move. A move he gladly made when he drew a Proper Blank and threw it at the Firefly Undead. The card landed between its eyes before it turned the Undead into energy and sucked it in, finally returning to Chalice's waiting hand. The card now depicted a regular firefly with the tip of a lighter at its end with the number 6 and a Diamond at the corners of the card.

"Hold it right there!" Sailor Mars cried as she, Jupiter and Venus reached Chalice. The fiery Senshi seemed pretty mad at the Kamen Rider. "I knew you were violent and had a foul mouth, but dishonorable too? How could you attack when your opponents weren't ready?"

"_No time for chivalry when lives are at stake,_" Chalice snorted. "_Now get out of my way, I still have those three to deal with._"

"You already beat them!" cried Sailor Venus. "The battle is over! Now surrender peacefully!"

-SNAP!- "ROAAAAAGH!"

"_You were saying?_" Chalice commented sarcastically as the Polar Bear Undead freed itself from the vine and charged at the four with its two remaining allies.

The Deer Undead lashed out with a blast of electricity which forced Chalice and the Senshi to take cover. The Polar Bear Undead charged at the Senshi while the Deer went for Chalice. The Hawk took to the air and looked down at the battle, almost like it was trying to decide who to attack next. Venus cried out when the Polar Bear Undead swiped at her, forcing her to duck as it smashed a lamp post in half, knocking it to the ground in a shower of sparks and glass.

"What a beast!" Jupiter frowned.

"We can beat it! Just like any other Youma," Mars said confidentially.

"Gladly!" Venus agreed as she joined her comrades. She then pointed her index finger at the Polar Bear Undead as if it were a gun. "_Crescent Beam!_"

A beam of light flew from Venus' finger, cutting through the air. The beam of energy flew at the Polar Bear Undead before colliding with its shoulder. The three Senshi expected the 'unholy' monster to be wounded by the attack, but the energy splashed off its fur and armor almost harmlessly. The Undead did notice the attack, if only to shrug the stiffness out of its shoulder before continuing its charge.

"Impossible!" Jupiter gasped.

"_Hah!_" Chalice cried out with a roundhouse kick at the Deer Undead's face. The Undead stumbled back before it charged again, its antlers crackling with electricity. Both fighters stood off against each other before pushing away and shooting projectiles at each other. Electricity crackled off Chalice's armor, stunning him while energy bolts exploded off the Deer Undead's chest in a shower of sparks. Both fighters groaned in pain before the Deer Undead, seeing Chalice moving weakly, charged for what it thought to be a finishing blow. Chalice on the other hand, thought otherwise. As the Undead charged, he drew another card.

"**Chop!**" The Rouzer called as Chalice slashed said card through. The image and power of the card was absorbed into Chalice's right arm as the Deer Undead ran closer. Rearing his arm back, as did the Deer Undead, both fighters lashed out with either a heavy punch or a fast chop.

The chop landed first, hitting the Deer Undead in the neck. From the force of the blow and the speed it was running, the Deer Undead flipped through the air and landed on its back. Upon hitting the ground, its power was released in a small explosion with flames dancing in the air. The Undead's buckle snapped open to reveal the runes of defeat. Chalice didn't need any more invitation than that as he drew another Proper Blank and tossed it at the Deer Undead. His aim was true as the card hit the Undead, turning it to energy and drawing it in, planting the image of a metallic deer on the card before flying back to Chalice's hand.

"_Two down, two to go,_" Chalice sighed. He heard a cry and looked up. "_Hmm? Oh for the love of-!_"

The Polar Bear Undead was fighting with the Senshi, and they were losing badly. They were launching their most basic attacks and those were only doing minimal damage. Jupiter's electricity seemed to stun it for a few seconds while Venus' it only shrugged off. Mars' attacks seemed to be doing the most damage, if only because of the elemental opposition of the Undead and her magic. Still, the Senshi's magic was nowhere near as powerful as he expected it to be. Chalice suspected for a while now that magic was the manifestation of the user's will. If you used a spell, how powerful it was depended on how much you wanted it. Seeing the pitiful attempts at fighting the Undead, Chalice figured that at this point, the Senshi no longer truly wanted to win, they expected to win against any opponent simply because of whom they were and whom they served. From what he had seen in the old television series back home, when the Senshi fought, they wanted to win for some of the best reasons which gave them a powerful will and thus powerful attacks. In this Crystal Tokyo, their power was only a fraction of what he had seen in the show and definitely not even close to beating an Undead.

The Polar Bear Undead roared and lunged at Sailor Jupiter who cringed and prepared for another attack. Maybe this time…

The Undead's attack never came when Chalice shot it in the side of the head with his Arrow, making the beast roar and stumble across the ground. The Kamen Rider ran forward and planted himself between the Senshi and the Undead which had threatened them. Glancing to Jupiter he asked, "_Are you okay?_"

"Y-yes," the Senshi of Jupiter nodded. "At least you are capable of fighting properly."

"_Whatever,_" Chalice shrugged as he drew one of his newest acquisitions. "_Now stay back and watch how a real fire attack is made._"

"Hey!" Sailor Mars cried indignantly, but Chalice ignored her as he slashed the card through his Rouzer.

"**Fire!**" the Rouzer called as the image of the card was absorbed into the weapon itself. Rearing his hand back, Chalice aimed at the Polar Bear Undead which was getting back to its feet. Gripping his weapon, Chalice fired, sending several bright fireballs at the Polar Bear Undead. The flames hit square on, making the Undead roar with pain as it struggled to put out the flames while only being engulfed by them. Sparks flew from the impact points while the Polar Bear Undead tried to fight back, but couldn't because of its lack of sight and the lessening oxygen. Undead couldn't be killed by lack of air, but even they needed to breathe to function. Growling one last time, the Polar Bear Undead fell to the ground, making a large fiery explosion rip through the air.

Chalice walked forward as the flames died down, spying the buckle of the Undead snapping open. For the third time that day, Chalice drew out a Proper Blank and dropped it onto the unmoving body of the Polar Bear Undead. The elemental Undead was turned to green energy before being absorbed into the card and brought back to Chalice's hand. This time sporting a picture of a bear standing on its hind legs with icicles hanging from its limbs.

"There's still one more!" Sailor Venus cried, pointing to the sky. Chalice looked up to see the Hawk Undead still in the sky. It had apparently witnessed the whole battle and now it was about to make a move. Giving off a battle cry, it unleashed a blast of hurricane force winds which almost knocked the four combatants off their feet. As it was, bits of rock and twigs were hitting them hard and leaving small cuts as they went past.

"I can't get a clear shot!" Sailor Mars cried as she tried to both shoot at the Undead and cover her face from shrapnel.

"Me neither!" Sailor Jupiter growled as she avoided a rather large chuck of rock.

"_Cover me!_" Chalice ordered as he took a position behind the Sailor Senshi, making them into meat shields since it was all they could do to help in their current states. His body was already feeling the fatigue, but he needed to hold out just a little bit longer. He had one more Undead to seal and he only had three cards to do it with. Drawing two of them, he glanced at them before bringing them to his Rouzer. "_Here goes something._"

"**Scope! Thunder!**" the Rouzer called out before the power of the Bat and Deer Undead was absorbed into the Chalice Arrow. Chalice felt his vision get sharper as he brought his weapon to bear on the Hawk Undead. Sparks of electricity ran through the edges of the weapon as it charged up. Wanting to be as precise as he could possibly be, Chalice let loose another bolt, this time a stream of electricity. The lightning bolt soared through the air, barely missing some pieces if rubble flying through the air and with extreme precision, impacted right against the Undead's buckle. Sparks came out like fireworks and the Undead screeched. The powerful winds stopped immediately as the Undead fell, hitting the cobblestone walkway in a fiery explosion of its own Chalice grunted as he felt more fatigue set in before he walked over to the impact site. The Hawk Undead was charred and battered with green blood leaking out from numerous cuts, but as expected, it lived. Like the others before it, its buckle had snapped open which Chalice took advantage of by tossing another Proper Blank. The Undead was immediately drawn inside before the card returned to the Kamen Rider's waiting hand, depicting an armored hawk on the front.

"_Ugh,_" Chalice panted as he dropped to his knees. His Chalice Arrow clattered to the stone ground, dropping from his half-numb fingers. After fighting so many Undead at once and taking some hits, he felt like he could just curl up on the ground and take a nap. Even though the battles were short in some ways, dealing with moving so fast, taking hits, and the adrenaline rush was leaving him bushed. "_Those four on TV made it look so easy._"

Suddenly, Chalice felt something poking at his back between his shoulder blades. He didn't have to guess who was poking him since only one of the three Senshi actually shot from her fingertip. Well, maybe two if you wanted to argue but this wasn't the time for that.

"Now, please surrender," Sailor Mars' voice spoke. "We have you outnumbered and you're no doubt weakened by the fight. You can't win."

"_Funny,_" Chalice snorted. "_Because it seems I'm still stronger than you three since I beat monsters by myself that you three could barely even wound, even when you were working together!_"

"Hey!" Sailor Jupiter snapped. "We won't allow ourselves to be lowered to the level of barbarians by fighting like a bunch of them!"

"_Ignorant is what you are now,_" Chalice growled as he stood up, despite Venus' attempts to keep him on his knees. He turned around to face the three Senshi who were so quickly calling him a criminal even though he probably stopped dozens of lives from being lost by the four Undead he had sealed. "_You don't seem to get that your magic isn't working on these monsters! You need to change your tactics or else these things will kill you! Next time I may not be here quick enough to stop them!_"

"It just caught us off guard!" Mars snapped. "We'll beat them next time! There's no need for your barbarian tactics! Neo Queen Serenity made those laws to keep the needless violence out of our hearts so we can live with peace and happiness! We don't need it to defeat our enemies! Not when we have our magic!"

"_And a fat load it did for you!_" Chalice snapped. "_Let me tell you a secret. Your magic was invented by human hands. These monsters were created by Kami Himself as the first living and sentient beings on the planet. You really think your human magic can stop something that Kami himself made to be the best?_"

"What?" Sailor Mars gasped, her eyes widening. Chalice knew that was probably a serious blow to her since she was the most religious of all the Senshi, being a Miko priestess in the past.

"Then what makes you so great at fighting them Mr. Warm Shot?" asked Sailor Venus.

"_Hot shot. You're as bad with sayings as you ever were,_" Chalice snorted. "_As to why I can fight them and win? That's easy. I'm using the same power they possess. In essence, I am fighting on their level. A level you all can't seem to see is necessary even though it's staring you right in the face._"

"We've risen above such things!" Jupiter snapped.

"_And you're getting your people slaughtered like sheep,_" Chalice barked, gesturing to the bodies that were littering the area. "_Congratulations._"

"I've had enough of your tongue!" Jupiter snapped as she began stomping towards the upstart who dared questioned the laws of their Queen. She wanted him in the prison now before he caused even more damage and insulted the Queen further.

Before she could try though, the sounds of metal on stone could be heard. Looking down, Chalice noticed several metal balls rolling between himself and the Senshi. They rolled to a stop, seemingly harmless. However, when they did stop, they suddenly exploded into a thick cloud of smoke. Both Senshi and Rider alike coughed as they were engulfed in the cloud. As Chalice coughed, he felt several hands grab him by the arms and yank him away from the area. His visor was blurry for a moment before the smoke drifted away from it as did the dust. Wiping it, he found the faces of Rubeus, Safir, and Demand next to him, helping him move.

"You okay?" Rubeus asked as the four radicals ducked into a nearby alley. Chalice leaned against the brick wall with a groan while his three friends keeping an eye out on all sides.

"_Yeah,_" Chalice nodded as he reached to his case. "_Just really tired and no doubt going to be sore later._"

"It looked like it was getting heated with those three Senshi," Safir commented, checking for Crystal Guards at the corner. He didn't want himself and his friends being seen with Chalice and get arrested for conspiracy against the crown. "I doubted you wanted to get in a fight with them after beating four Undead."

"**Spirit!**" Chalice was engulfed in his static field before returning to his form of Kyle Jones. The boy from another world sighed as he felt his bones ache from the activity of the day. "After seeing them losing so badly to an Undead, I wasn't too concerned and my temper was failing. If it were the Outers though, I'd be concerned."

"With good reason," Demand agreed. "The Outers have much more firepower than the Inners who make up the Neo Queen's personal guard. Even though the Inners have more experience for the most part. Save for Pluto. She has maybe more than a millennium of experience. Definitely not one that even you'd want to tangle with."

"Right," Kyle agreed, standing straight again. "So, where did you get those smoke bombs anyway?"

"The same place we got our weapons," Demand smiled. "My family collects antiques from all around. We just picked a few and put them to good use."

"That was the last of the smoke bombs until Topazu can get the stuff to make more so be grateful!" Rubeus added.

"Don't worry. I definitely am," Kyle nodded. "Best friends a guy could ask for right here."

The three young men chuckled at the reference, finding the blatant honesty refreshing. Still, Safir was concerned about their newest ally and friend. Not that he'd turn his back to them or something like that. No, he was concerned because Kyle was being forced to fight the Undead on his own. Today he had to take on four of them by himself and he looked like he was about to drop because of it. Sheer luck he found opportunities to defeat each one and the Senshi keeping some of the others distracted. Kyle needed help before one of the more powerful Undead appeared and made mincemeat out of him. Unfortunately, they only had one half of the necessary materials needed to activate the other Rider systems Kyle was in possession of. Taking to the more clean streets, the four young men headed back to campus.

"So which Undead were they?" asked Rubeus, hoping to at least live the action through Kyle since he couldn't do it himself.

"The elemental four," Kyle answered, revealing the Category 6 cards. Seeing confusion, he explained. "You see, while each Undead is unique in its own way, the ones who share the same Category tend to have something in common. In the case of the Category 6 Undead, it's an elemental commonality. Ice, thunder, fire, and wind."

"I see," Safir nodded. "Sort of like how the Category Ace series allows you to change into your armor. However, each suit of armor is different, correct?"

"That's right," Kyle nodded.

"Man, why can't a Category Ace show up already?" Rubeus frowned. "We need them to be able to kick some ass too."

"Be thankful they haven't yet," Demand sighed. "In a deck of cards, the Ace is the most powerful card in the deck next to the Joker. I have a feeling that this runs true in the Undead ranks as well."

"That's right," Kyle nodded. "The form I use is that of the Mantis Undead who was hailed as the greatest fighter of all the Undead with only the Joker and the Ace of Clubs coming behind him. I don't even know how the Human Undead won when he had opponents like them facing him."

"A good question for another day," Safir shrugged. "Right now, we need to make sure you get some rest. I'm sure Amethyst will be more than willing to assist."

"Ulp!" Kyle gulped, already guessing/fearing what Amethyst might do to help him relax since nudity and other such things weren't a taboo in this society.

* * *

><p>"I am relieved that all of you are unharmed," Neo Queen Serenity spoke softly to Jupiter, Mars, and Venus in her private garden where she went to just be alone with her friends. The three Senshi who had went to deal with the attack had returned to make their report to their Queen.<p>

"Just a few bumps and bruises," Mars answered, hiding one such scab on her arm. "We'll heal quickly enough."

"I'm relieved to hear that," Neo Queen Serenity smiled. She then turned serious. "So you say that like Mercury, you saw Chalice seal the monsters into cards?"

"Yes, but when he sealed the first monster, he passed the card through his weapon, allowing him to use an attack like the monster within it could," Jupiter explained. "If that is the case then the more monsters he defeats then the stronger he becomes."

"It reminds me of one of the more…undesirable forms of electronic entertainment people played before the purification," Venus pondered. "Still, if he aims to become stronger by defeating these monsters and sealing their power, then what does this Chalice plan to do when he feels he has enough power?"

"Probably turn against us," Jupiter frowned. "He's spoken out against your laws numerous times. He's probably collecting power so he could stand against us with rebels."

"While he's no doubt dissatisfied with my laws, he has not become aggressive with any of you, has he?" asked Neo Queen Serenity.

"Well…no," Jupiter reluctantly admitted. "He did save us from that one monster."

"Then we can at least assume that his goals are much like ours. The protection and preservation of the people of Crystal Tokyo," Neo Queen Serenity smiled. "While his methods are…dissatisfactory, he is not without potential and a chance for retribution. If we can help him, he would become a rather powerful ally against these monsters."

That much was true. All the Senshi knew that Chalice was so far the only one who had any amount of success against the monsters who would go on their killing sprees. He also seemed to know a fair amount about them as well. It would more or less make him the current expert on them. There were a lot of questions that needed answering about the creatures which acted so differently from Youma. Why did they do what they do? What drove them? What purpose did it serve? Nothing the Senshi knew about Youma and other such monsters seemed to apply to these creatures.

"So what should we do your majesty?" asked Venus.

"I still wish Chalice to be brought to me," Neo Queen Serenity answered as she picked a red rose, one of her favorite flowers. "However, information is needed about these monsters. Should you confront him again, try to at least have him explain about these monsters before any aggression rises between you. Chalice may have broken my laws, but he did it in the name of good. These monsters seek to kill our people and I cannot permit that."

"Yes, your majesty," the three Senshi bowed respectfully.

* * *

><p>"<em>So much for those four,<em>" the figure growled as he eyed the news report of the battle. The newscaster was obviously sending propaganda stating that the Senshi were the ones who killed the 'Youma' which attacked Fountain Square. He knew otherwise since Chalice was seen there by many people and none of the four Undead he had recruited for the job had returned. Only an idiot wouldn't be able to guess that the four had been sealed. That suited the figure fine. He was hoping the four would be sealed by Chalice anyway.

"_I guess it's time I made myself known,_"

Gripping a rather strange-looking sword, the figure stomped out of the room and into the darkening night of the city.

* * *

><p>AN: This was more of a filler chapter than anything else. Just some mindless action and to give Chalice some more battle options in the future. That and to mess with the mirai senshi some more.


	4. Turn 4

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 4: The Ace of Space Strikes!**

"Coronation Parade?" Kyle asked in confusion.

"Well, you claim to not be from Crystal Tokyo so I'll explain," Topazu explained. The group of friends was enjoying a long lunch hour at the school. They had claimed a good spot underneath a large tree with overhanging branches which made for some nice private moment for the couples of the group when they decided to cuddle or kiss. Kyle and Rubeus were indifferent to it, but Amethyst was pouting when they did, being reminded of her single status. "The Coronation Parade is a festival to celebrate the day when Neo Queen Serenity purified the world and was chosen to be the Queen. It's held every year on this day. The Queen herself is on a large float with the Senshi around her, waving to the masses."

It had been almost a week since the four Category 6 Undead had attacked and Kyle had recovered from the battle. Of course, the media kept claiming that it was the Sailor Senshi who defeated the four Undead by themselves while Chalice got in the way. That just served to raise Kyle's temper at the obvious lies which the Queen allowed to be fed to her people. It wouldn't do for the public morale if they saw that a violent man in armor was managing to outperform the Senshi at fighting monsters. That might cause people to ask some questions and that couldn't be permitted. Oh no. That would mean the peace which the Senshi strived to produce would be disturbed and that couldn't happen.

"It's not bad," Rubeus shrugged. "Lots of free eats and a few games in the main square so we're always having fun on that day."

"Can we go Darling?" Esmeraude asked softly, stroking Demand's hair lovingly.

"I was going to invite you anyway my dear," Demand chuckled charmingly, making Esmeraude coo softly and lean against him.

"Take me too Safir!" Topazu smiled brightly as she hugged her own boyfriend's arm.

"Of course," Safir nodded with a smile.

Amethyst pouted and crossed her arms, being again reminded of how she was without a boyfriend of her own unlike her two female friends. Looking to Kyle, she saw that he was just enjoying his lunch and didn't seem to be doing anything. She was actually hoping that he would invite her to the parade as well. She had been giving all the signs that she was interested so why wasn't he coming to get her? Did he not know the signs? Was he just not interested? Did he not find the female heart appealing?

"Hey Amethyst, are you going to the parade too?" asked Rubeus of the purple-haired girl, snapping her out of her funk.

"I guess so," she replied, disappointed that it wasn't Kyle asking her to go with him. Still, the events of the parade would cheer her up. Still, she might be able to get her love interest to come along and turn it into a date for herself. "What about you Kyle? Don't you want to see it? Everyone in the city will be there."

"It will be a way to spend my day," Kyle shrugged. "So when's it supposed to begin anyway?"

"This afternoon," Demand answered. "Classes are canceled for the afternoon as part of the celebration. It's also a way of ensuring that everyone in the city is going to be there to show their love and support to the Queen."

"Well, I'm always up for a good party," Kyle smiled.

* * *

><p>Kyle blinked when he saw the turnout for the parade. His friends hadn't been kidding when they said everyone in Crystal Tokyo would come. It certainly looked like it since the sidewalks looked like they were packed. People were shoulder to shoulder and were hoisting their small children on their shoulders while the taller youths had to make do with what openings they could. Everyone was hoping to get a glimpse of the Queen and the royal family which were due to arrive. Kyle felt like he was at a Christmas parade even though it wasn't Christmas at this point.<p>

"This is so exciting!" Amethyst exclaimed as she leaned against Kyle.

"Yeah. Exciting," Kyle shrugged. Parades were nothing new to him, being to several in his life. Still, to the masses of people who don't really have much to get excited about when everything in their lives is expected and controlled, a parade like this must be a real blast.

Still, it upset Kyle a bit that no one was taking the threat of the Undead very seriously. These creatures were the proverbial perfect fighters and weren't afraid of using lethal means of getting what they wanted. A lot of people were already dead because of the few Undead that appeared so far and what did the authorities do? Did they try to stop the Undead? Did they try to learn more about them? Did they try to set up a squad to fight them? No. What they did was throw a parade like nothing was wrong in the fairy tale city which the Queen created. It was worse than ignorance, it was outright denial.

The parade did seem like a pretty spectacular affair once it started. The marching bands were all dressed in ornate uniforms with polished and gleaming instruments playing loudly. The songs they were playing didn't seem like anything Kyle knew, but it didn't matter. The songs actually sounded rather nice. As with any parades though, there were floats galore. Each one was a beautiful display of craftsmanship and art. They were made from numerous different materials like foam, flowers, plastic, and other such things. Some examples of floats were garden scenes or even images from famous romance novels. Strangely, stories like Romeo and Juliet were still alive and well in Crystal Tokyo, even though violence was illegal, writing about it was apparently fair game. The people were in awe of the picturesque floats and the beautiful music which came with them. Esmeraude was sighing softly as she and Demand held hands tightly with the romantic scenes. Topazu was cuddled against Safir's side, enjoying the time away from school to be with her boyfriend. Rubeus looked like he was going to fall asleep soon, more interested in the games which would open up once the parade was finished while Amethyst kept stealing glances at Kyle, not that the Kamen Rider noticed when she did.

Eventually, the last float came and it was a marvel in itself. It was pure white and looked like it was made of china glass. Pillars surrounded it with white silk and a deep red carpet running down the middle. At the back of the float were three thrones. The one on the right was a man dressed in a tuxedo with a top hat and a cane. Black hair could be seen under the hat and a small eye mask was covering part of his face. If Kyle had to guess, that was Neo King Endymion.

The throne on the left held a teenage girl who wore a beautiful white gown that had puffy shoulders and left her arms bare. She had a rather womanly figure for a girl who seemed to be in her late teens and no doubt had her share of admirers by now. Her hair was a candy pink color and tied in two ponytails with buns shaped like rabbit ears on her head. Her eyes were a curious color of red as well. It took a moment for Kyle to remember, but he could tell that she was Neo Princess Serenity, or Chibi-Usa. Well, she wasn't so chibi anymore.

The last throne in the middle held a gorgeous woman who exuded elegance, peace, and grace. She had long blonde hair which she had tied into two ponytails with buns on her head. She wore a matching dress to her daughter and a yellow crescent moon was placed on her forehead. Her eyes were a dazzling blue and an easy smile was on her lips. She was the Queen of Crystal Tokyo and the true power behind everything in the city. She was Neo Queen Serenity.

Kneeling down around the Queen and her family were the Sailor Senshi. Kyle saw Mercury, Venus, Mars, and Jupiter in attendance. With them was the short-haired blonde tomboy Sailor Uranus, her aquamarine haired love Sailor Neptune, the younger purple-haired Sailor Saturn, and the eldest Senshi, the emerald-haired and tanned Sailor Pluto. No doubt the threat of the Undead had the Senshi all tightly wound up, just waiting for some kind of threat to arrive. Kyle just watched the float go by slowly with the royal family waving to the cheering and smiling people whom they ruled over. Still, Kyle noticed that Usa seemed to be a little bored. Well, she at least showed it while her parents seemed to be enjoying their ride through town while the Senshi were as stoic as ever in their duties. Kyle knew that being on a float and doing nothing but waving would have driven him nuts.

Amethyst was watching with sparkling eyes when she felt something land on her shoulder. Glancing, she found an actual Rhino Beetle clutching to the fabric of her blouse. She didn't know where it came from, but she wasn't about to freak out about it, "Oh! Hello kabuto-chan! Where did you come from?"

Picking the beetle up so she could look at it, she saw another one buzz through the air and land on someone else. Looking up, she spotted several more of the insects buzzing through the air. She was quite curious as to why they were buzzing around right now. Beetles like them were so rare in the cities during this time of the year. Just seeing one was definitely a treat. Still, she was seeing dozens in the air…and more were appearing.

Kyle had also noticed the number of beetles appearing in the air. As he saw the sudden population explosion rising, he was assaulted by his own senses, screaming at him. Before his eyes flashed images of black armor, a large horn, a wicked sword, and floats being smashed or cut straight down the middle. As he visions ended, leaving him shuddering and doubled over, Kyle was yanked to his feet by Rubeus and Safir. Bother were using their jackets to cover their faces as swarms of rhino beetles flew through the air. Amethyst, Demand, and Esmeraude were using their own clothes to keep the beetles out of their faces. The other civilians were shrieking and yelling, trying to get the insects away from them. The Senshi had made a semi-circle around the royal family, keeping a sharp eye out for threats.

"He's here," Kyle frowned, swatting one of the beetles from his face.

"Who's here?" demanded Rubeus, attempting to smash several of the beetles but failing.

"The Ace of Spades!" Kyle snapped, causing his group of friends to freeze and stare.

Things didn't remain as still as the friends did. The insects continued to swarm, almost blocking out the sky as their numbers continued to increase. In the midst of the chaos, the float which was in front of the royal family's suddenly split down the middle with a horrendous crash, sending bits and pieces of the materials which made it up all over the street. The marching band in-between the two floats ran for their lives so to avoid what had made the float suddenly collapse such as it had. Only a moment later, they got their answer.

The creature was covered head to toe in black carapace which had metal studs embedded in it. The chest was made of gray metal with studs in it and was attached with black chains. A massive horn extended from its head, spiking into three points and its face had a bit of a snarl in it. Four curved spikes rose from its shoulders, making it appear even more menacing. Clutched in its hand was a sword that seemed capable of cutting almost anything. Around its waist was the very same belt which marked it as an Undead. However, unlike the Undead which preceded it, this one was subtly different. There was not basic rage and instincts which were reflected in its eyes. Instead, intelligence could be found as this Undead casually made its way through the rubble of the previous float and towards the royal family.

"Another monster," Sailor Uranus frowned as she broke position and stood in the Undead's path. "I'll take care of this. _World Shaking!_"

Raising her arm into the air, Uranus generated a large orb of yellow energy before she threw it into the ground. The orb raced along the ground before jumping from its path and launching itself through the air towards the Undead's chest.

"_Hmph!_" the Ace of Spades snorted as the energy flew closer. Swinging his arm, he smashed his fist into the attack, launching it off course and through the wall of one of the buildings with a muffled blast. The Ace Undead didn't bother even shaking his arm before continuing forward, resting his sword on his shoulder. Looking almost casual, the Ace of Spades continued walking towards the royal float without seemingly a care.

"Impossible!" Sailor Uranus gasped.

"Allow me," Sailor Pluto frowned as she took aim at the approaching enemy. Raising her staff, she began collecting power for her attack. "_Dead Scream!_"

Unleashing a violet orb of power, Pluto sent the attack flying towards the Undead. Again the Ace of Spades was unconcerned as the attack which was considered deadly to many Youma and various monsters raced towards it. Instead, the Undead raised its sword and completed a downward slash which cut through the attack, sending both halves crashing into the remains of the float which the Ace of Spades had cut through.

"How…how can this be?" Pluto gasped in shock.

The Ace of Spades began to chuckle as it jumped onto the float, walking closer towards the royal family. The Senshi collected together to form a protective wall between their leader and the monster which had gotten onto their float. The Ace of Spades snorted as it stopped and glared at the group of women who were in its way. Hefting its sword over its shoulder again, it sighed, "_Get out of my way you sheep. I'm not here for you._"

"We will not allow you to assault our Queen!" snapped Sailor Mars.

"_Well, that's too bad,_" the Ace of Spades chuckled. "_Because I came here to fight her and if I have to tear her personal guard apart to do it, I will._"

"You can't beat all of us together!" Sailor Venus spoke confidentially.

"_Ha! Three of you couldn't beat one of my lesser when you were together! I think I can handle all of you myself!_" the Ace of Spades laughed. Hefting its sword up, it prepared to charge the wall of Senshi.

"_Wouldn't you prefer to fight someone worth the challenge?_" a new voice asked.

The Ace of Spades stopped and turned to the front of the float. Standing at the edge of it was Kamen Rider Chalice with his Chalice Arrow resting against his shoulder with his buckle already attached to it. He was standing straight with his right hand resting on the case which he kept his Rouze Cards. Although he looked like he was standing casually, he definitely was anything but calm. Inside, he was getting nervous, being faced with one of the Category Ace Undead was an intimidating fact. The only way he could have been more nervous was if he was facing off against one of the two Jokers.

"_Ah, Chalice,_" the Ace of Spades laughed as it turned to face the Kamen Rider. "_I was wondering when you'd get here._"

"_Why are you attacking the Queen of these people?_" Chalice asked as he slowly stepped towards his opponent.

"_Why else? Because she's strong,_" the Ace of Spades answered, beginning to walk towards Chalice. "_Probably the only person worth fighting in this weak and pathetic place besides you. I saw how her guards were failing against the Category 6. They aren't worth my time._"

Chalice couldn't argue with that. Without the power they had in their younger days, the Senshi didn't have a chance against the Category Ace. He would kill them all before going off to find someone else to fight for his own amusement. That was what the Undead did. They fought each other to be the last one standing. If there were other opponents around, they would fight them too. It was the rule in which they lived by, the rule in which they were forced to deal with every time they met with each other.

"_Leave them alone,_" Chalice warned, raising his weapon. "_You want to fight so badly then you can fight with me._"

"_Oh, I intend to,_" The Ace of Spades laughed as it raised its own sword, ready for a fight.

All at once, the rhino beetles stopped swarming over the people. Instead, they took to the air and hovered in the sky, making a living blanket over the area. Walls of the beetles covered the sidewalks, preventing numerous citizens from escaping. The people were quivering in fear, looking to their Queen and protectors to save them. Children clutched their mothers while lovers held each other. Demand, Esmeraude, Safir, Topazu, Rubeus, and Amethyst all sent silent prayers for their friend and they stuck close.

As if by an unknown signal, Chalice and the Ace of Spades charged at each other. Light danced off the edges of their weapons as they roared at the top of their lungs, making the people watching them cringe in fear. The Ace of Spades lashed out with his blade while Chalice returned with an equal blow. The two Undead steel weapons clashed before a blaze of sparks erupted from the two weapons collided. Both fighters sailed past one another before skidding to a stop. Both fighters twisted around and stared each other down again.

Among the audience, Neo Princess Serenity, (Usa-chan to her friends) was watching the battle with rapt attention. Her eyes were trained on both this man named Chalice who the Senshi who she considered to be older sisters or aunts were so worked up about. Maybe it was her crass side, but she really didn't see the harm in him taking down these monsters with his bare hands. Not everyone had magic abilities after all. Besides, from what she could tell, these monsters were on a completely different level than Youma. Still, the Senshi were getting pretty worked up about his foul mouth and his tactics. Really, he didn't seem so bad to her. In fact, he seemed kind of cool…

A wet splash caught her attention and she saw the area where the two had clashed had some green liquid. It wasn't a big spot, but noticeable even from where she was sitting. Looking to Chalice, she noticed that small beads of it were dripping down his neck just under his chin from a small cut. There was also a small line of the stuff running down his weapon. Across from the mysterious masked man, the monster had a similar gash near its own neck with some more of the green stuff dripping from the tip of its blade.

Both combatants were still before they stood up again, brandishing their weapons. The monster was shifting from one foot to another, trying to figure out which angle would be the best to attack from. Chalice was rooted to the spot. To Usa's eyes, he was keeping himself firmly between the monster which wanted to fight her mother and her entire family.

'_That's so brave,_' Usa thought to herself.

'_I am so scared right now,_' Chalice thought as he faced down the Ace of Spades.

Swallowing his fear, Chalice drew back his arm and fired several blasts from his Chalice Arrow. The Ace of Spades raised his blade and deflected each arrow with the flat of his blade. Instead of hitting Undead flesh, the arrows dug into road or float material. Snorting in humor, the Ace of Spade charged at Chalice with his weapon raised. The Kamen Rider met the challenge head on and both fighters let their weapons do the talking. Metal met metal in showers of sparks while the two fighters did combat. The Ace of Spades was much quicker than its body suggested, surprising Chalice somewhat. Blocking another blow to his head, Chalice kicked his foot into the Ace's side, making it grunt. Kicking several more times, the Ace of Spades stumbled backwards. Chalice completed his attack with a kick directly to its face, making it grunt in pain and stumble back farther. Having some space, Chalice grabbed his case and drew out one of his cards. Bringing it to his arrow, he slashed it through the Rouzer.

"**Fire!**" the Rouzer called as the power of the Firefly Undead was absorbed.

Raising his weapon, Chalice unleashed another barrage, this time of fireballs. The Ace of Spades was hit several times by the barrage, bringing more sparks and splatters of green blood. Smoke drifted from the odd black holes brought by the heat and the Ace of Spades. The strongest of the Spades snarled as it glared at Chalice. It was still smirking, obviously enjoying the battle for what it was worth. Standing straight and making cracking noises from its bones, it continued to smirk as it eyed Chalice.

"_Nice to see those four small fries I sent to you are being put to good use,_" the Ace smirked. "_Still, I'm going to need something to even the odds._" The Ace then looked to the princess who wasn't as shielded as the Queen was. Intentional or accidental, the Ace wasn't going to let this opportunity pass. Bringing its arm back, it threw its blade with the precision of a marksman. Chalice expected the blade to come at him, but the angle was off. His reflexes as an Undead in the form of Chalice allowed him to see just where the blade was going to impact if uninterrupted.

Neo Princess Serenity!

"_Nooooooooo!_" Chalice roared, turning to see the princess' eyes widening.

Moving with whatever the Mantis Undead body he was using could muster, Chalice charged towards the princess of Crystal Tokyo. The Senshi were stunned and definitely didn't have enough reflexes to get the princess out of the way. Chalice moved with speed regular humans wouldn't be able to move with easily. It was like everything was in slow motion for him, watching the blade fly through the air towards where the princess was sitting. The weapon was more than capable of killing the princess with the force that the Ace had thrown it.

Closer…

He could make it!

Closer…

Neo Princess Serenity could see her life flash before her eyes.

Closer…

He was almost there!

Closer…

There!

THUNK!

"_Gyah!_" Chalice cried as he stumbled forward, almost landing on Neo Princess Serenity. Gasping for breath, Chalice hunched over, trying to reach the cutting pain that was digging into his back. In front of him, Neo Princess Serenity gasped in fright and shock at just what happened. As Chalice hunched over, she could see the monster's sword embedded in his back, cutting even through his armor! The Kamen Rider was trying to stay on his feet, but the pain from the injury was definitely making the task somewhat challenging.

"Oh my gosh!" the princess gasped as she stood up and tried to see Chalice's wound. "Are you okay? Wait, of course you're not! Oh! Ew! Hold still so I can get it out!"

"Princess! Keep away!" Sailor Mars cried as she headed towards the pair.

Chalice stepped away from the princess to try and reach the sword which was sticking out of his back. It hurt like hell and he was in too much pain to even curse about it. However, that pain was also distracting him from the fight. It served to the Ace's purpose when he reached Chalice and plowed his fist into the Kamen Rider's stomach, making him double over to catch his breath. As Chalice choked in pain, the Ace of spades grabbed his sword by the hilt.

"_This is mine. Thanks for catching it,_" The Ace of Spades chuckled as he yanked the sword out with a squelching noise. It made Chalice cry in pain before the Ace kicked him in the chest and knocked him onto his back.

Chalice attempted to get the dizziness out of his eyes, but the Ace of Spades wasn't giving him the chance to recover. It raised its foot and slammed it onto Chalice's chest, making him cry in pain again. The Ace continued to hit Chalice with his foot, making the Kamen Rider cry out in pain again and again. "_Submit!_ _You've lost! Acknowledge my power!_"

"Stop it!" the Neo Princess cried as she dashed at the Ace of Spades, but several of the Inners grabbed her and kept her away. "Let me go! Why aren't you helping?"

"Because our first duty is to protect the royal family," Mercury answered coolly and logically.

"Maybe this will show him his place," Jupiter commented as she watched the battle.

The Ace of Spades roared again as it stomped down on Chalice's chest again. Groaning in pain, Chalice grabbed the Ace's foot and twisted it, making the Undead growl in pain. Still, it didn't let up as it tried to stomp him again. Chalice didn't take it lying down, this time bringing his fist back he smashed it against the Ace's knee, this time making it roar in pain as a faint cracking sound was heard. Most likely something broke, but it would heal soon enough thanks to the Undead regenerative abilities. Still, the Ace fell backwards clutching its leg, letting Chalice breathe and scramble away. Reclaiming the Chalice Arrow, the Kamen Rider turned to see the Ace of Spades on its knees, looking pissed.

"_Oh no you don't!_" Chalice growled as he drew another card and slashed it through his Rouzer. The Undead item then gave off a cry of "**Blizzard!**" before the image of the card appeared in energy and was absorbed into the Chalice Arrow. Bringing his arm back again, Chalice let a projectile fly. This time, a stream of sub-zero air shot from the weapon, colliding against the Ace's knees, coating them with a thick layer of ice which kept the Ace stuck to the floor of the float.

"_You expect this to hold me?_" demanded the Ace, already struggling with the ice which held it down.

"_For the next few moments,_" Chalice answered as he drew another card. Standing straight, he slashed it through his Rouzer, bringing a cry of "**Thunder!**" The image of the Thunder Deer appeared in the air before being absorbed into the Rouzer itself. Electric voltage began coursing through the blades of the Chalice Arrow as the ability of the card was activated. "_Now disappear!_"

Pulling his arm back, Chalice slashed down on the immobilized Undead with his electrified weapon. The attack cut into the Undead's hide, bringing a spray of sparks and green blood. The Ace screeched loudly in pain as voltage raced through its body. When the attack completed, the Ace collapsed, its own carapace keeping it from falling backwards. Still, the Ace exploded in a fiery haze, its energy being released by the last blow. The carpet and flooring of the float was scorched pure black from the release. The Undead remained in the spot, still as if it were dead as its buckle snapped open, signaling the undeniable defeat it had been dealt.

Chalice stumbled slightly as he reached to the case on his side. It took some effort with the gash on his back, still visible though not as large as it was before. The green blood was stuck to his back, making it even more vibrant than before. Stepping closer to the form of the Ace of Spades, Chalice drew a Proper Blank. He didn't falter as he got closer to the Undead and stared at its unmoving form. Grabbing its horn, he yanked its head up so to stare it in the eye.

"_Heh…I guess I lose,_" the Ace laughed weakly. "_Losing to Chalice the Legendary Undead isn't bad…even if you only use his power. Go ahead and keep protecting these sheep though. Not that they deserve it after all I've seen of this weak and decadent place._"

"_One man's opinion,_" Chalice grunted as he raised the Proper Blank. "_But I think they can be saved._"

With that, Chalice thrust the Proper Blank into the face of the Ace. The Undead's body was enveloped in green energy before being drawn into the card. When the Undead was gone, all of the beetles which the Ace had summoned suddenly vanished as if they didn't exist. Satisfied, Chalice examined the card, which had changed with the Undead now sealed inside of it. He saw the familiar image of a blue rhino beetle on the front with a red spade on its shell next to a red background. Sighing in relief, Chalice collapsed to his knees, feeling some déjà vu since he had done the same after fighting the four Category 6. This time though, he felt on the verge of passing out rather than taking a nap.

With the threat gone, Neo Princess Serenity broke out of her friends' grips as she dashed to the side of the wounded warrior. Instantly she looked to his back and saw the wound was actually healing. Looking to Chalice's face, she tried to get a response, "Hey! Are you conscious? Can you hear me?"

"_Yes,_" Chalice answered as he stood up with the princess lending a hand. "_Are you okay Usa-chan?_"

"Uh…" the princess blinked in surprise. "Y-yes. Why…why did you call me Usa-chan though?"

"_Well, you did try to help me so calling you Princess or Usagi would be too formal,_" Chalice chuckled weakly, sliding the Ace if Spades into his case. "_And you definitely aren't little enough to call Chibi-Usa anymore._"

Now Usa was more than a little confused. How did this man know what she was called by the Senshi of the past and her friends back then? Not even her mother or her friends in the present called her Chibi-Usa. They all either called her Small Lady or Princess and no one from outside the palace knew the name either, "H-how did you now my nickname from when I was younger?"

"_I've seen many of the adventures you and the Senshi of the past went through,_" Chalice explained as he stood straight, the wound on his back getting even smaller. "_No offence, but the Senshi of the present pale in comparison to who they were in the past._"

Usa didn't want to admit it, especially in front of her mother and father, but her friends now really weren't the same now than they were in the past. Oh sure, growing up does change someone in a few ways. But…these Senshi and her parents were radically different from the great friends in the past she had. They still treated her the same, lovingly and loyally, but the feeling of being normal was gone. The desire to just relax and be themselves was missing. Ever since her incident with Wiseman, Usa had been seeing it more and more than she would have since before she first traveled to the past.

"How dare you be so informal with the princess?" Sailor Uranus snapped as she and the other Senshi dashed to Usa's side and came between her and Chalice. They pulled the young woman back while Chalice stumbled away, still feeling exhausted from the fight.

"_I'm casual with her because she tried to help me so I consider her a friend,_" Chalice frowned. "_Which is more than I can say about the rest of you!_"

The collected Senshi frowned crossly, but of all of them, Sailor Saturn seemed to be the one who looked guilty about her lack of action towards the Ace of Spades which tried to kill her friend. Chalice just heaved a sigh as he turned to leave. He desperately needed some rest and he needed it quickly.

"Wait," a soft voice spoke.

Turning again, chalice saw the Senshi part down the middle. Stepping forward was none other than Neo Queen Serenity and Neo King Endymion themselves. The Senshi had all bowed slightly, but they were keeping their eyes trained on Chalice since he was still near their princess and a possible threat. They were more than wary of him since he had just defeated a monster which had been confident enough to challenge their Queen.

"I wish to thank you for saving our daughter," Serenity spoke softly. "The beast's attack was much too fast for any of us to react quickly to."

"We cannot thank you enough," Neo King Endymion agreed. "You have done something we just have to reward."

"I agree Anata," Serenity smiled. "Chalice, would you please honor us by joining the ranks of the Royal Court? Surely your expertise and the resources we in the court possess would make it much easier to defeat these creatures which you hunt." The collected Senshi and the civilians in earshot all gasped in surprise. Chalice was being offered a place in the higher court where only the Senshi stood to advise the Queen. I was a very high honor to be considered in that area.

Chalice considered the offer briefly. The Court no doubt had plenty of resources in which finding the Undead would be easy. However, it would mean putting a collar on his neck that was attached to a leash held by the Queen. As he hunted the Undead, she would be yanking in the leash, reminding him of her laws and preventing him from getting the job done. He recalled how the Senshi were so dedicated to following their laws even though there was a threat to be dealt with. The Queen herself was probably going to be much worse.

"_I am afraid I must respectfully decline,_" Chalice answered. The eyes of everyone in earshot bulged in shock. Chalice didn't even offer his reasons why he was turning down the offer as he leaped off the float. He stumbled a little on the landing, but he managed to stay standing. Walking towards, the crowds, they parted for him as he walked away and give him a clear path away from the parade.

"My Queen, can we truly allow him to walk away after he so blatantly broke your laws?" asked Sailor Pluto.

"After he risked his own health to rescue my daughter? I believe it is the least I can do," Serenity replied with a disappointed sigh. "I so hoped that we could get him to join the court. Perhaps from within we could curb those violent tendencies of his. Still, seeing what he does for myself, I now see that he needs help in the most dire sense. Next time we meet, I will purify him."

* * *

><p>Chalice may have walked as normally as he could, but inside he was on the verge of collapse. When he was far enough away from the parade where the fight took place, he collapsed against the wall of a building. He slowly slid down the side until he was sitting on the ground. His head hung loosely while he sat limply, almost as if he were dead. Thankfully with his Undead body as Chalice, he couldn't really die. However, he did need to rest and sleep like other beings did.<p>

"He's over here!"

Dashing over from another alleyway, Amethyst, Demand, and the others all reached the downed Kamen Rider. Rubeus and Safir immediately took his arms over their shoulders as they stood him up. Amethyst fretted over the wound, but Esmeraude and Topazu were constantly reassuring her that the wound was healing and he would be fine. Both Esmeraude and Topazu were involved in medical programs after all, even if Esmeraude was focused on veterinary medicine rather than human like Topazu.

"I thought this wound would be worse than it is," Topazu frowned as she examined the shrinking cut. "It's healing at an incredible rate though."

"That's good," Safir nodded. "Then we don't have to worry about people asking why Kyle Jones has a gash in his back."

"Stupid idiot thinking he can take on an Ace by himself," Rubeus grumbled. "Why the hell didn't the Senshi or the guards do anything?"

"Their duty is to the royal family first," Esmeraude frowned. "As long as that Undead didn't hurt them, they didn't have to fight it since Kyle was doing that himself."

"Self-righteous bitches," Rubeus snarled.

Demand sighed as he noticed something fall out of Chalice's case. Being quick to grab it, he found it to be the Ace of Spades, Change Beetle. It still amazed the white-haired young man that such a powerful monster could be trapped inside such a harmless looking card. Suddenly, the image on the card flashed as a round circle appeared on the front. The circle was split into quarters with a sword, a coin, a cup, or a wand in them. The circle was there for a moment before it twisted and changed into a blue spade. The image hung for a moment before fading away, leaving the card as normal as it ever appeared to be.

"Hey Demand!" Rubeus called, snapping the young man out of his shock. "Get your ass in gear! We need to get Kyle back to the dorm!"

"R-right!" Demand called back, dashing to catch up with his friends, the Ace of Spades clutched in his hand.

* * *

><p>Usa sighed inside of her room at the Crystal Palace. After Chalice and that monster had gone, the parade had been cancelled and the royal family evacuated back to the palace. Really, Usa was still worried about the armored man who saved her from becoming a shish kabob. He looked like he had been hurt pretty bad. No matter how tough you were, a sword to the back was always painful if not outright lethal. Usa wasn't sure how he had survived taking a hit like that, but she only hoped that he was still alive for that wound to heal.<p>

Sighing again, Usa lay on her canopy bed, wondering what to do with herself at the moment. The other Senshi and her parents were in a conference at this point, trying to get a rein on the situation. Still, she was surprised that Puu (Pluto) hadn't been able to warn them all about the monster's attack or Chalice's identity. Of course, either that was because she couldn't tell…or she couldn't see. That in itself was pretty scary since Puu was usually able to see everything in the Gates of Time. If Chalice and these monsters couldn't be seen, then just how strong were they? Of course, Uranus and Mars were still insisting that they were going to win, even though the monsters were able to shrug off their attacks so easily.

Her door creaked softly, making Usa look to see who had entered. To no shock whatsoever, it was Sailor Saturn, otherwise known to her as Hotaru-chan. The youngest Senshi was now a teenager like Usa and had grown out of her physical weakness thanks to the purification. She had become a stunning young woman who had her share of boys watching her dreamingly when she went outside the palace walls.

"Usa," Saturn breathed softly. "…how are you?"

"Fine. Not a scratch on me," Usa reassured her friend. Saturn had been pretty quiet since returning to the palace. No doubt out of guilt over what had happened back on the float. "I wasn't hurt Hotaru-chan, so please don't feel upset."

"I…I can't help it!" Saturn gulped, breaking into a dry sob. "I'm supposed to protect you! I'm supposed to, but I failed to do that today! I almost lost my best friend and if it wasn't for Chalice, I would have!"

Usa immediately got up and embraced her friend, allowing Saturn to sob quietly, releasing her guilt and sadness. The King, Queen, and the Senshi really didn't believe in any kind of punishments for mistakes or accidents, but in a situation like this, even a stern talking-to would have been better than the silence everyone endured on the way back to the castle. Most of the Senshi knew they were already forgiven by the Queen since it was such an unexpected attack, but Saturn took to defending the princess much more seriously than the others did. Well, being best friends when they were younger made their bond stronger than usual. Well, Usa was Hotaru's only friend back then. Of course Saturn would take any failure to help Usa very hard.

"It's okay. It's okay," Usa whispered softly. "Everything's okay now. I'm safe. I'm not upset with you."

Saturn continued to cry for a little while longer, but she eventually calmed down, wiping her eyes. Heaving a sigh, she began a conversation with her friend, "Usa-chan, is Chalice as bad as the others say? He may be…violent, but he didn't once do anything threatening to us."

"No, he's not bad at all," Usa smiled. "He may like to fight with his bare hands, and maybe curse if what the others said was true, but I don't think he's that bad at all. He was nice to me even though he was ready to argue with the other Senshi."

Saturn nodded. They was he barked at them was more than a little hurtful, "But, why isn't he asking for our help in fighting those monsters? Wouldn't being part of the court help him do it?"

"Maybe," Usa shrugged. "But then Mom would be on his back always trying to make him follow the laws. You know how she is about keeping the peace. He probably knew that." Saturn nodded. Neo Queen Serenity could be a little…gung-ho about keeping the peace and order of the kingdom. "But it's what he knew about me that strikes me as odd."

"What do you mean?" asked Saturn.

"He knew my nickname from when I was younger. You know, Chibi-Usa," the princess pondered. "He also claimed to know about the adventures we had in the past. He said that what power the Senshi use now is pretty weak compared to how strong they were when we were fighting people like the Dead Moon Circus and Galaxia."

"What?" Saturn gasped. "But…how could he know that? Not that many people know even now the exploits we had before the Purification, much less the enemies we faced."

"That's what has me confused," Usa nodded. "Either he's lying to confuse us, or he's telling the truth and he's seen the Senshi fighting on levels above what they are now."

"But…how can we tell if he's telling the truth?" asked Saturn.

"Simple, we go find him," Usa answered, making Saturn gasp in shock.

"But Usa-chan! Being outside the walls isn't safe right now!" Saturn argued. "More of those monsters are probably out there! Who knows when or where they might strike again!"

"That's why I want you to come with me Hotaru," Usa smiled. "I'm perfectly allowed to go outside the palace walls if I have a Senshi to guard me. I'll be in disguise too so no one will recognize me. Besides, if one of those monsters do attack, maybe Chalice will appear again and we'll be able to talk to him."

"Well…" Saturn frowned.

"Don't make me turn this into an order," Usa pouted, using her still effective cute face.

"…okay," Saturn sighed.

* * *

><p>AN: There we go. One Ace of Spades sealed up and now we see that not everyone is the same inside of the Crystal Palace.


	5. Turn 5

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 5: The Sword Has Been Drawn! A New Blade!**

"Ugh," Kyle groaned as Safir and Rubeus set him down on his bed in the dorm. It was good that he had regained enough consciousness to explain how to get him back into his human form before they tried to sneak him into the dorms. He may have been conscious, but that wasn't going to last long after feeling the soft bed squish under his body weight. "…I won,"

"Yes, you did…barely," Esmeraude sighed as she and Amethyst got some covers over the exhausted young man. "Seriously, this getting too much for you. You need some rest this time and don't think we're going to let you lose either."

"We'll have the days' lessons stored onto disk for learning later," Safir reassured his friend. "Even with your regenerative abilities, taking a sword to the back isn't something you can walk away from immediately."

"Yeah…you're telling me," Kyle groaned as he shuffled, trying to get the stiffness out of his back. "Hurts."

"It'll be okay," Amethyst smiled reassuringly. "We'll help you get better quick!"

"Hope so," Kyle yawned. "At least we have an Ace now. Won't have to fight alone."

"Yeah! Let's test that sucker out!" Rubeus grinned. "Dibs on the first try!"

"No!" Kyle cried, suddenly sitting up, but he then gasped in pain and fell backwards again, making Amethyst fret in fear. After a moment, he managed to get his voice back from the pain. "You just can't randomly test it. The Ace decides who can use its power. If you hold it and it reacts, you can use its power."

"A reaction?" asked Safir. "What kind?"

"The card will…react at your touch…it'll…show….zzzzz," Kyle trailed off, his fight and his attempt to sit up finally catching up with him. Rubeus huffed in disappointment. Amethyst smoothed out his blankets to try and make his sleep more comfortable. Esmeraude and Topazu took the hint and began shuffling the men out of the room. Rubeus protested, wanting to hear how he could tell if he was meant for the Ace. However, as Demand took his own leave, he silently slipped his hand into the metal case which Kyle stored his Rider systems and Rouze Cards in and drew what Kyle had described as the Blade system. Hiding it in his jacket, he exited the room with his friends, hoping for their newest friend to get some rest when he needed it now above all else.

"If another Undead shows up, I'll be the one to take care of it," Demand spoke softly as he left.

* * *

><p>"So where should we look first?" Usa asked her friend as they walked down the streets of Crystal Tokyo.<p>

Usa was wearing a simple school uniform that a girl her age would normally wear. Her hair was also being kept inside a tight bun which was hidden inside the hat she was wearing. It wasn't completely easy to get it on, but no one would be able to recognize her as the princess immediately. Hotaru was likewise out of her Senshi uniform and in a regular school uniform that was white. She didn't have to put on much of a disguise since she looked much more average when she wasn't in the Senshi uniform and thus people wouldn't be able to recognize her too quickly either.

"I don't know," Hotaru sighed. "We really don't know anything about Chalice or those monsters."

"That's why we're looking for Chalice," Usa explained. "He can tell us all we need to know and maybe we can learn a little about him at the same time."

"True," Hotaru nodded. "But we don't know any of Chalice's habits or what he does when he isn't fighting those monsters. Crystal Tokyo is a pretty big place too. He could be anywhere."

"Yeah, that's the hard part," Usa sighed. "Oh well, there's not much we can do about that. Let's just begin searching and maybe we'll get lucky and find a clue!"

"Yes!" Hotaru nodded with a smile. Usa just had this way of bringing out the best in people. Something she had gotten from her mother along with a few other things.

* * *

><p>Demand sat on the stone steps of the school, staring at what he held in his hands. One was the Category Ace of Spades which Kyle had sealed a few days ago. In the other was a Rider System Kyle had described which held the power of Blade. When Demand had touched the Ace of Spades, it had reacted, showing a symbol which changed into a blue spade. Before losing consciousness, Kyle had mentioned that the Ace would react to whoever was worthy of using its power. After seeing the card's reaction to him, Demand could guess that the Ace would allow him of all people to use its power. Still, Kyle had also warned against using the Ace without its permission. The way he had cried out against that action gave Demand a sense of foreboding. What if the Ace wasn't reacting to him, but someone nearby? If that was true then if Demand tried to use it, the Ace might be able to punish him.<p>

All the contemplation was getting on the young man's nerves so he slid the Ace into his pocket and the System into his jacket for safe keeping. Kyle would be upset enough as it was with Demand taking the Blade System. Losing it would bring on a whole new level of anger from the young man. With his precious cargo secured, Demand headed out into the city, looking for something to do.

Demand looked around for anything to grab his attention but that wasn't to be at the moment. His mind kept drifting back to the things he saw Kyle do and pondering…pondering if Kyle really could change things in Crystal Tokyo. It was obvious that the Senshi were incapable of beating the Undead and no one else would be able to save them except for Kyle himself, and maybe Demand if the Blade System worked for him. Demand had no illusions that if the Undead were allowed to roam free, they would destroy Crystal Tokyo easily.

While he did grow up in this city, Demand had no real love for it. Ever since he was old enough to understand, Demand found that the city he called home was not much more than an ant colony in some aspects. Most of the people didn't do anything but what they were expected and anyone who stood out was considered a radical and ostracized by most people, something Demand had considerable experience in. The laws against violence and profanity were just plain wrong. One limited the right of free speech while the other made the people totally defenseless. Not everyone could shoot magic like the Senshi could. They turned their people into sitting ducks for the likes of the Undead, whom magic obviously didn't affect.

Demand also compared the life of Crystal Tokyo to a fairy tale, which is what he figured Neo Queen Serenity was trying to turn the world into. She wanted peace and perfection but Demand had read enough philosophy to know that perfection was an illusion and impossible to reach no matter what. Neo Queen Serenity was a naïve woman in his mind and she didn't know the full extent of bringing about peace was supposed to entail. She just wiped negativity and chaos off the face of the planet if what history books said was right. Violence was forgotten, darkness was cast out, and negativity was gone. That was all well and good for people who accepted it, but not for Demand's ancestors.

The Black Moon Clan liked the world for what it was and refused to be purified. They didn't fit into Neo Queen Serenity's world so she banished them to Nemesis, making them easy pickings for the Death Phantom who turned them into true evil and had them attack Crystal Tokyo. Demand knew the story well and also knew that if Neo Queen Serenity wasn't so naïve and prejudiced against negativity, then it wouldn't have happened in the first place.

Shaking his head, he dropped the train of thought. It always got him riled up and he didn't want that. It was in the past now and in the past it would stay. Right now the Undead were the current threat and Kyle was out of commission for the time being. If one showed up now, then a lot of people were going to get killed and the Senshi wouldn't be able to do anything about it. They'd just order it to stop and when that failed, try to blast it with their magic which will fail if past interactions were anything to go by. Demand had seen for himself how useless their magic was against the Undead and Kyle reported similar events as well. Since the Senshi weren't capable of winning, Demand knew that it was up to Kamen Riders to do the job.

* * *

><p>Kyle was sitting up in his bed, rubbing his shoulder to get the remaining stiffness out. He thanked whatever forces that be that the Undead healing managed to finish healing him before he changed back into his human self, otherwise the Ace of Spades' attacks might have left serious wounds on him for a while to come. For three days, Kyle had been confined to his room while his body recovered from the battle. Amethyst was a constant visitor as she did everything she could to make him comfortable while he recovered. She had done everything from changing his sheets to getting him food and other such things. Safir had kept true to his word and obtained copies of the classes' lessons for him which Kyle had yet to really look at. Being forced to download information into his brain in class was creepy enough. He wasn't going to do it in his room thank-you very much!<p>

Shrugging off the stiffness, Kyle finally left his bed and traveled over to the silver case where he kept the Rouze Cards and the Rider Systems. He had wanted to check on his cards and see if he really had beaten and sealed the Ace of Spades. His ego was already swelling from the thought of seeing it. Opening the case, he froze in shock and disbelief. The Blay Buckle had gone missing. Growing deeply concerned, Kyle began shuffling through the Rouze Cards, finding that out of all of them which he had, the Ace of Spades was missing.

"Oh they didn't," Kyle groaned. "Rubeus, or whoever took it, I'm going to kill you."

As he entertained thoughts about what he was actually going to do to one of his friends whom Kyle assumed to be the ones who were in possession of the Ace and the Blay Buckle, Kyle was suddenly assaulted by the growingly familiar patterns of a vision. Doubling over the table he kept the case on, Kyle saw bits and pieces of the newest Undead which was assaulting the city. He saw images of gray armor, spikes, green skin, and a short sword. While the vision cut out, Kyle grabbed the Rouze cards he had in his possession and headed out the door.

* * *

><p>Usa and Hotaru were both enjoying some lunch at a small café as they tried to think up of anything else they hadn't tried to find the mysterious Kamen Rider known as Chalice. Regular searching wasn't helping and they didn't know enough about him to really forge a truly effective plan in finding him. Although Usa didn't want to admit it, they were definitely stuck and as it was, the chances of meeting Chalice at this point was pretty low.<p>

"Darn," Usa huffed as she swallowed some of her ice cream. "This isn't panning out like I had hoped it would."

"Don't get discouraged Usa-chan," Hotaru said reassuringly. "I'm sure we'll find a clue somewhere about Chalice and those monsters he fights."

"Maybe," Usa sighed. "I mean, it's not as if one of those monsters will just suddenly appear so Chalice will come and fight it, right?"

Around the corner of the café, a sudden mob of people erupted into sight, screaming and yelling for their very lives. Usa and Hotaru immediately stiffened as they turned to see what the commotion was about. Seeing a woman just dash around the corner, they gasped in shock when a monster tackled her to the ground and began to claw and bite at her with its fangs and claws. The monster was mostly covered in metal armor, but its arms were left bare and looked to be covered in green scales. Spikes rose haphazardly from its shoulders and a tail with a spike slid eagerly across the ground. Mounted on its right arm bracelet was a short sword which looked very sharp. Its face was covered in black metal with more spikes reaching out from the back and made it look lizard-like.

"A Youma!" gasped Usa.

Hotaru was already up in a flash, her Senshi training having her moving in automatic. Usa was close behind her, having Senshi training of her own, even though she really didn't use it all that much anymore. Both young women dashed towards the reptile-like monster, hoping to save the woman it had pinned down.

Hearing challengers, the monster looked up, revealing blood on its face and several bleeding holes across the woman's body. She had stopped moving and her eyes had glassed over. This monster hadn't just attacked her to get energy, it had actually attacked her to take her life. Snarling, the beast eyed both disguised Senshi as it got up. Snarling louder, it waved its sword around, trying to look threatening. Maybe it was its image or maybe it was just by witnessing the kill it made, but Usa found the gesture very intimidating.

The Neo Princess and her best friend had to muster all the self-control she had to not gulp in fear like her mother would have in the early days.

* * *

><p>Demand had originally intended to go to a café to do some more serious thinking when he saw the people running in fear. These days it wasn't too hard to figure out what was causing the chaos.<p>

"Undead." He muttered under his breath. Demand now realized that this was his chance to do something. He had the Blay Buckle and Category Ace of Spades with him. Now he was in a position to actually fight against the threat against his fellow man instead of sitting on the sidelines and watch Kyle do it. "This is what I've been waiting for."

Demand took a deep breath of air and slid the Change Beetle card into the panel in front of the buckle before bringing it down to the front of his waist. A red belt strap which resembled a link of cards came out one side and looped around his waist when it ended on the other side, fastening the Blay Buckle on tight. The buckle released a pulsing sound as Demand reached down to the handle on the side of the panel and repeated what Kyle said whenever he changed into Chalice. "Henshin!" With a single pull of the handle, the panel flipped over to reveal a yellow Spade symbol over a red background.

"**Turn Up!**" the belt announced as a blue rectangular projection shot out from the belt and hovered before Demand. It had the image of the Change Beetle card on it and looked big enough for a person to easily fit through. Breathing deeply, Demand decided on his next course of action with a cry of, "Here I go!" Throwing caution to the wind, Demand dashed forward and into the projection before exiting, completely changed.

He was clad in a blue bodysuit with silver armour and spades depicted on the shoulders and chest. His helmet was blue save for the silver face and the single horn rising from it. The eyes were two red orbs in which he could see through. On his left arm was a black box which was attached to his gauntlet and had a clear panel on the front with a slit at the side for something to slide out of it. The device was called the Rouze Absorber and allowed Blade more power to his armour should he have his Royal Undead on hand. Holstered at his left hip was the sword known as the Blay Rouzer. The weapon itself was oddly shaped since the front was boxlike with a spade on it with a handle on the back for holding the weapon. It was similar to the sabres which past generations had used.

Blade reached down and drew his weapon, sliding it out of its holster, before charging at the Undead he was faced with. With a single swing he drew blood as the creature screeched and staggered backwards. "Go!" Blade said to the two girls who the Undead had been preparing to attack. "Run! Get out of here!" He turned to face the monster who had recovered quicker than he had expected. Snarling, the beast swung its arm-mounted sword at Blade who parried with his weapon before he kicked the creature in the midsection. The enraged Undead recovered easily before it thrust at Blade and hit the Rider in the chest, sending him tumbling. Blade landed on his back and pushed himself up into a sitting position before glaring at the Undead. "Kyle made this look so easy," he grunted as he reached for his weapon.

* * *

><p>Kyle dashed through the streets of Crystal Tokyo with purpose. People were missing from the usually bustling streets and that meant that there was something amiss. When he began stumbling upon dead bodies which looked like they had been mutilated by a sword-wielding animal, he knew he was on the right track. The only reason which any of the people in Crystal Tokyo deviated from their precious little schedules was because a monster was attacking. These days, the monsters turned out to be an Undead or two going o the rampage and killing as many people as they could get their handsclaws on. Usually in the most brutal fashion as they could in most cases.

Dodging past an abandoned car, he found the source of the commotion. From the position he was in, he could see Kamen Rider Blade fighting against the Lizard Undead. The wearer of the armour was obviously unused to the added weight since his motions seemed like he was used to being lighter. Since Kyle would morph straight to Chalice who was an Undead, he didn't feel the weight of the armour the Mantis Undead wore. The difference in weight alone was making Blade an easier target for the Lizard Undead to strike against.

"Rookies," Kyle sighed as he summoned his belt and drew the Ace of Hearts. "Henshin!

"**Change!**"

* * *

><p>Blade was slowly getting used to the armor's weight, but not as much as he would've liked since his reaction time and reflexes were seriously being hindered. Also, he didn't have any extra cards like KyleChalice had so he was stuck with just using his sword skills to beat the Lizard Undead who seemed to be a natural. Then again, being known as the 'Slash Lizard' might have had something to do with it. Another thrust from the Undead's blade sent Blade crashing into the outdoor tables of the cafe. He was slightly disoriented from the blow and slowly recovering. Even in the midst of his confusion, Blade could still recall how much easier fighting an Undead looked when you weren't the one doing it.

Watching the fight were Hotaru and Usa. As much as they wanted to help, they knew that their appearance might be questioned. Usa and Hotaru were supposed to be incognito and revealing themselves outside the palace and fighting a monster would cause some serious trouble for the both of them. Still...

"Who is that?" Hotaru asked. "That isn't Chalice."

"I don't know," said Usa. "But he looks like he's in trouble. We have to help him."

Hotaru nodded and both young women reached for their means of transforming. For Hotaru, it was her transformation rod which she had used ever since her younger days. For Usa, it was the brooch she had been gifted when she went back in time for a second trip. Both girls had raised their artifacts into the air and were about to activate them when they were interrupted…

* * *

><p>The Lizard Undead let out another hiss and then charged at Blade with murderous intent. The new Kamen Rider prepared himself for the assault, but was spared the pain when all of a sudden; an energy arrow hit it on the side. The beast hissed out in pain and stumbled, dropping to its knees as green blood leaped out from its side. Blade blinked and turned to see who had fired the shot which had bailed him out. To his apprehension, he saw Chalice walking towards him with the Chalice Arrow gripped tightly in his hand, his buckle attached to the front, making it a Rouzer. Blade knew Chalice was glaring at him through his crimson visor while Chalice could sense his friend's distress. Knowing that this was hardly the time to berate the new Kamen Rider over taking the Blay Buckle, Chalice simply said, "<em>We'll talk later,<em>" Reaching down, he gripped Blade's hand and pulled him to his feet and out of the remains of the table he had been thrown into. Both Riders then turned their gazes towards the recovering Lizard Undead. "_Come on, we have an Undead to seal._"

"Yeah," Blade agreed, shaking the stiffness out of his limbs.

"_Oh, and here,_" said Chalice as he drew a card and handed it to Blade. Looking at it, the blue Rider found that it was the Thunder Deer card that Chalice had sealed some time ago. "_Use it. It's yours now anyway._"

Blade nodded and took the card while Chalice drew one of his own. Both Riders brought the cards to their respective weapons before sliding the cards through the Rouzers and activating the power.

"**Thunder!**" cried the Blay Rouzer.

"**Tornado!**" added the Chalice Arrow.

Blade's Blay Rouzer began to crackle with electrical energy as the image of the card was absorbed into his weapon. Bolts of electricity danced about the weapon's blade as he got ready to attack. The Chalice Arrow also had been charged by the Tornado Hawk card and he aimed at the Lizard Undead. Wind could be hear whistling through the air around Chalice, but none could be felt as it was concentrated inside of his weapon

With a shout, Blade charged at the Lizard Undead, unheeding of its snarls as it brought back its arm for an attack. Blade ducked the expected slash from the Undead and executed his own attack, slashing it across the body with a horizontal swing, ending up behind the creature with his back facing its.

With Blade clear, Chalice let his attack fly. A tornado actually shot out from his weapon like a spiraling arrow. It hit the Undead straight in the chest, knocking it to the ground. When the Undead came to a rest, its power failed and an explosion ripped from its body, leaving it weak and powerless. There was a snapping sound as its belt buckle opened to reveal the runes of its defeat. Blade turned his gaze to the downed Undead, somewhat shocked as the realization that he was involved in defeating it.

"_Blade, seal it now!_" Chalice ordered.

"Alright," said Blade as he looked to his Blay Rouzer which had a stack of panels built into it. He pulled at the panels and they fanned out, revealing cads that he had stashed away. All the cards were Proper Blanks, but that was exactly what he needed at the moment. He drew one and then tossed it at the Undead. His aim was true as the card landed on the Lizard Undead's chest. Green energy spread out from the card before it sucked the Undead into itself before it spun and flew into Blade's hand.

"_Category 2 of Spades,_" said Chalice. "_Slash Lizard. You're lucky this one was so low on the pecking order. A higher class one might have killed you quicker._"

"I suppose," Blade sighed, slipping the card into the leftmost panel in his Rouzer. "Listen, about taking the belt…"

"_Save it,_" Chalice sighed. "_It works with you so I can't really complain now. Just don't be so reckless next time._"

"Hey! Wait!" a female voice cried out. Blade and Chalice turned to the source and saw two teenage girls running towards them. Well, the girl wearing the hat was running towards them while the violet-haired one seemed reluctant, almost scared. Blade didn't seem to recognize them at all, but Chalice could already tell that they were Usa and Hotaru, the princess of Crystal Tokyo and the Senshi of Saturn.

"_What?_" asked Chalice. No reason to be rude since they hadn't done anything to deserve it. He easily recalled Usa trying to help him during the parade and Hotaru was the only Senshi who looked guilty at not helping during the fight.

Usa looked between Blade and Chalice. She had heard of Chalice but the blue and silver Rider was new. "Thank you for defeating that Youma, but who exactly are you both?"

"_First, that thing wasn't a Youma,_" said Chalice. "_It was an Undead._"

"Undead?" murmured Hotaru.

"_And, second,_" Chalice said as he pointed to himself and Blade, "_We're Kamen Riders. I'm Chalice and this is Blade._" Usually Chalice would not stick around to give an explanation after sealing an Undead, but since Usa was willing to listen then maybe she could help clear things up. "_Our job is to seal those things._"

"Are there any others like you?" asked Usa.

"_You'll know when you see us,_" answered Chalice. Seeing Usa's gaze kept on him rather than switching between Blade and himself like Hotaru's was, Chalice decided for a little bit of trickery. "_I'll bet that beetle monster's sword looked really sharp from your end._"

"I'll say," Usa sighed. "I swear if you hadn't gotten it that thing would have cut me in two…EEP!"

"Usa-chan!" Hotaru gasped.

"Wait," Blade blinked in shock. His gaze was riveted on Usa. "Are you Neo Princess Serenity?"

"Um..." Usa tongue was tied.

"_Yup, she is,_" said Chalice with a chuckle. Usa shot him a dirty look, but there was no real heat behind it. Not like the glares he got from some of the older Senshi. "_Disguise definitely isn't your forte,_" he said to the princess.

"Well, I just wanted to go look for you."

"_Why?_"

"Well, you see..."

Chalice felt Blade nudge his side and the new Rider said, "We need to leave. The guards might show up and you know who else will be here."

"_I know,_" nodded Chalice. "_Look, Usa-chan,_" said Chalice, "_I really wish we could talk some more but we really have to go._" He said to Blade, "_Follow me._"

The two Riders dashed off, leaving the two girls.

"Usa-chan, we should go," said Hotaru to her friend.

"Yes," answered Usa as she watched both Chalice and Blade's retreating forms.

* * *

><p>Once back at the dorm and out of their Rider armor, Demand and Kyle were surrounded by their friends. They wanted to know what it was like for Demand to actually become a Kamen Rider. They had all heard about the incident on the news and wanted to know the details. Of course, Esmeraude was berating her man for being so reckless and going after an Undead by himself.<p>

"Well, at least we got one working buckle," said Safir. "That's good news."

"So, when do you think another Ace will show up?" asked Rubeus hopefully since he couldn't wait to use the Rider Systems if he had the chance. "Because, I think between Kyle and Demand, fighting an Ace would be easy."

"I wouldn't be so sure," Kyle frowned, setting his Rouze Cards in his pocket. "The Category Ace Undead are where they are for a reason. The only ones more powerful than them are the Jokers. Well, in terms of raw power anyway."

"So that means we'll just have to outthink them," Topazu shrugged.

"Something this baka seems to be lacking in at the moment," Esmeraude huffed, making Demand sweatdrop.

"It won't be as easy as you think," Kyle sighed, revealing the Ace of Hearts. "Remember that I told you about how the Undead inside of my Ace was the best fighter out of all of them, losing only against the Joker and Human Undead because of ferocity from the Joker. The Ace of Clubs was second, and I am not in a hurry to meet up with it without some more backup and a lot of Rouze Cards at my call."

"Wow," Rubeus gulped as the group fell silent. "That thing must have been tough. But you have the Mantis who was the better fighter, right?"

"I have the Mantis Undead's power, but not his skill," Kyle replied. "I'd need backup if I went against another Category Ace."

"Well, you got Demand," said Amethyst. "I think you both will be able to seal more Undead if you work together."

"If another Undead appears soon. I just wished they didn't appear where there are a huge concentration of people," said Kyle with a frown.

That part was true. The Undead wished to avenge their loss to the humans and so killed as many humans as possible, appearing wherever humans assembled. Any place with a large assembly of humans was an ideal hunting ground for them. The Undead were driven to kill. That was plain and simple.

"So, what are our chances against those Royal Undead if we end up facing them?" asked Demand. Kyle had told them that Undead came in ranks, and most noticeably they had Queens, Jacks and Kings.

"Depends on which ones," Kyle sighed. "It's really just a tossup between certain Jacks or Queens…but we'd need some help or extra power if we wanted to take down the Kings. Still…there might be a few Undead who are on our side."

"There are?" Esmeraude blinked in surprise.

"The Royal Class Undead aren't dumb," Kyle explained. "They're intelligent and are more than capable of disguising themselves as humans. However, I do know what those human forms look like so it shouldn't be a problem to spot them. Still, I know at least Two Undead who won't go on rampages like the others."

"Which ones?" asked Demand.

"The King of Clubs, the Tarantula Undead, and the Queen of Clubs, the Tiger Undead," Kyle answered. "The King of Clubs is a pacifist and will avoid fighting no matter what. In fact, the Ace of Clubs hates him so if we find the King, we may find the Ace. The Tiger is honorable and won't kill humans just because it suits her. She'll only fight opponents who are near her level and capable of fighting back."

"So if we find them…," Safir realized.

"We get some allies to help us out for a while," Kyle answered. "Still…we may have to end up sealing them eventually. Even having one Undead free is asking for disaster, no matter what the intentions of that Undead are."

* * *

><p>AN: Another chapter and a new Blade appears. Usa and Hotaru are also trying to learn more about them. Before I hear words about lolicons or something, remember that in this Crystal Tokyo, Usa and Hotaru are teenage girls not much younger that Kyle and the others if not the same age. Remember that.


	6. Turn 6

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 6: The Rhino's Rampage!**

"Small Lady, don't you realize how dangerous being outside the palace is?" Sailor Pluto sighed as she stood in front of her princess and fellow Senshi in one of the castle hallways. Usa and Hotaru had returned to the castle stealthily, but Pluto had caught them easily. Even though she couldn't see the...Undead, in the Gates of Time, she could still see other Senshi. She had teleported in front of the pair as soon as they were alone.

"But...we couldn't just sit here and do nothing!" Usa cried. "Chalice was the only one who knows anything about those monsters and we had to find out more!"

"We know enough," Pluto retorted. "We hardly need a radical's help in something we have experience in. Granted these Youma are tougher than we expected, but we will rise above them like we always do."

"But Setsuna-mama!" Hotaru cried. "Chalice-san and Blade-san have had more victories against these monsters than we have! They have to be able to tell us something!"

"Blade?" Pluto blinked at her former charge's statement. "Wait...are you saying there's another one like Chalice out there now?"

"Oops," Hotaru gulped. Usa had asked her to keep Blade a secret for now.

Pluto frowned. Exactly like how the Inners had earlier predicted. Then that would mean two more would follow. Things were already chaotic enough in Crystal Tokyo without more of these…Kamen Riders making a mess of things. Pluto had worked for far too long to let the peace and happiness of Crystal Tokyo be destroyed by some monsters and a bunch of vigilantes who fashion themselves as heroes. The power of the Queen would show them their place soon enough.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, an attractive woman with black hair with a gold streak in running through it was walking next to a man dressed in blue and wearing a bandanna. The man was holding a bird's cage with a canary inside. The woman was wearing a simple yellow vest with black pants and black gloves on her hands. Her eyes kept darting to the scenery around her which was Crystal Tokyo with some disdain. The man was dressed in Chinese clothes and had a red set of strings attached to one finger which would catch in the wind as he walked. The pair was moving through the streets of the white city, uncaring of the disdainful looks which people were throwing them. Of course, the canary would make its noise now and then, causing the woman to stare at it.<p>

"I don't understand why you carry that thing around," the woman frowned. "If you aren't going to eat it then why have it?"

"I find the song soothing for my soul," the man answered, looking patiently to his traveling companion. "That is more than enough for me."

"Hnn," the woman frowned.

The pair continued walking until they reached an area where a fight had taken place. To one who knew the area, the scene was that of the café which Blade and Chalice did battle with the Lizard Undead. The area had yet to be cleaned up so bits of green blood could be found on the ground. Several of the café tables were destroyed and had yet to be replaced. However, there were several white sheets on the ground with lumps underneath them, indicating bodies of people slain by the Lizard Undead. Crystal Guards were patrolling the area, waiting for officials to arrive to get the mess cleaned up and haul the bodies away.

"Looks like I missed quite the fight," the woman snorted. "A pity."

"Hmmm," the man frowned. Raising his arm which had the wool strings attached to his finger, he let it be captured by the wind. The air blew around him, almost telling the man something as the woman watched him, seemingly bored. After only a few moments, the man lowered his hand and opened his eyes. "It seems that Blade has risen. The rumors were also true, there is another Chalice."

"Is there now?" the woman smirked. "Well then I have something to look forward to when I see him then."

"Still…the one who holds Chalice's power is not an Undead, although he does possess a shadow of one which allows him to take Chalice's power," the man continued. "Most curious. I would like to meet this person."

"Someone who isn't an Undead but possesses the power of one?" asked the woman with a frown. "That's impossible. Not even the Kamen Riders truly possess the powers of the Undead."

"Stranger things have happened," the man shrugged.

"I'm sure," the woman huffed. Turning in a different direction, he began walking away from her male companion. "I'm heading off to find a fight or two. Maybe one of the lesser Undead is still running around."

"Be careful," the man warned. "There are more than just Kamen Riders in this city."

"You mean those Sailor Senshi?" the woman snorted. "I could beat them with my eyes closed."

"I do hope you aren't planning on causing trouble just to catch their attention," the man frowned.

"Maybe," the woman shrugged. "I'm feeling bored in this city. I need something to keep my attention."

With another shrug, the woman walked away, leaving the man and his canary at the scene of the battle. Sighing, the man cast a parting glance at the bodies of the fallen and muttered a short prayer underneath his breath. When that task was complete, he walked away in a different direction from his female companion. The Crystal Guards had only given the pair a passing glance because of their 'radical' outfits. No one could have conceived what these two in truth.

Royal Class Undead.

* * *

><p>Sailor Mercury tapped away at her personal computer inside the Crystal Palace, bringing up images of both Chalice and Blade which he security cameras around the stores they had been fighting nearby had captured. She had replayed the videos of their battle against the reptile-like Youma, much to her distaste. She observed the movements of the fighters and noticed that while Chalice moved with some comfort, Blade seemed unused to the weight of his own armor. That alone suggested to Mercury that the new fighter was unused to his task, however Chalice did come to the rescue and help his ally out.<p>

"Perhaps it was a test for Blade's abilities," Mercury sighed to herself.

Sailor Mars, among others of the Sailor Senshi, were beginning to get concerned about the number of these monsters going rampages through the city. Numerous civilians had died already and so far they didn't know why these monsters were doing it or where they were coming from. The princess had personally met with both Blade and Chalice, much to her parents' disappointment, and the only information they had was that the two Kamen Riders called the monsters Undead.

Mercury was trying again and again to scan for any and all references of the Kamen Riders, but she had gotten nothing save for some radical publications praising them for ensuring that the loss of life was kept minimal. Still, the barbarian tactics which the Kamen Riders used was uncalled for and completely unnecessary. The Sailor Senshi had been defeating powerful enemies with their attacks for years before Crystal Tokyo and it had served them well. They may have underestimated these monsters, but once they knew what they were dealing with, they would defeat them like they always did.

Always.

* * *

><p>"Okay, we'll go through it again," Esmeraude nodded as she and Amethyst sat at the side of the track with stopwatches.<p>

The group of radical friends was at one of their school's track circles. It was after hours and even the groundskeepers had gone home for the day. After sealing the Lizard Undead, both Demand and Kyle decided to get some training done under Safir's suggestion. Demand still had to get used to the weight the armor put on him and Kyle needed to get a better understanding of his Undead physiology when he was in Chalice form. As such, they went to the track for some laps to try and get some endurance into them.

Both Blade and Chalice were in full armor at the starting line. They were doing some stretches so not to get stiff or cramped while they were running. They had already done a few laps and were beginning to feel a little tired. Safir was likewise at the starting line with a stopwatch of his own in case Esmeraude or Amethyst missed something while they were keeping track. Topazu was just watching and enjoying the show while Rubeus was on the ground, panting with some weights tied to his back, shoulders, and legs.

"Not…again!" the redhead panted. "Can't we just pack it in for the day? I'm beat!"

"Then just sit on the sidelines and rest," Blade suggested as he moved his shoulders. "I think I have about one more lap left in me."

"_You look like you're about to die anyway,_" Chalice added, looking at the exhausted Rubeus. "_Why are you doing this with us?_"

"So I don't slow down in my armor when you guys manage to seal another Category Ace," Rubeus panted. "One has got to show up sometime and I plan to use that armor once it's sealed!"

"_That depends on when a Cateogry Ace decides to show up,_" Chalice replied. "_In the meantime, there are still a lot more Undead left to seal. Me and Blade will have to keep in shape or else we might lose our edge._"

Moving to the start line, Chalice and Blade took their marks. Safir held up his watch while Amethyst and Esmeraude did the same. Safir counted down as he prepared to hit the button which would start the timer. When he finally hit zero, he hit the timer and cried out 'go' which sent Chalice and Blade dashing down the tracks. Both Riders held their speed which was impressive considering the armor which they had to wear and the speed they were running at. Both Riders dashed around the track, trying to get a good time for their lap before it ended. Passing around the track, they reached the finish line again, panting slightly from the effort they had put into their run.

"A minute and thirty seconds," Safir read his watch. "You were both pretty even this time. Demand's getting used to the armor after all."

"Ah, good," Blade nodded before he pulled the handle on his buckle. Flipping the panel over, the blue field appeared and phased over him, stripping the armor off. Slipping the Ace of Spades out, Demand ran a hand through his hair, wiping the sweat off. "I'm surprised that I'm adjusting so quickly though."

"_Necessity,_" Chalice answered before he swiped the Spirit Human card through his belt, shifting back to his human form. "You're getting so used to the armor because you know that you need it badly and have to adjust to it."

"Possible," Safir agreed, slipping his stopwatch into his pocket. "However, I think we've all deserved something to eat after all his training."

"Yeah! I say we hit the beef stew place! I love their stuff!" suggested Topazu.

"Me too!" Amethyst agreed.

"Then we're in agreement," Esmeraude nodded.

Sighing, the men gathered up their things and headed back to the dorms. They would need showers if they wanted to go out like the women wanted. If they didn't the girls would never forgive them. The restaurant which the females of their group had chosen was a popular place for the residents of Crystal Tokyo, especially the students of their school. It was always a crowded place and the food was well worth it. Still, it was going to be Kyle's first time going there so he was looking forward to it.

* * *

><p>"Ahhh, this case is really getting to me," Rei Hino sighed. She was dressed in a simple suit with a skirt which was tinted red. Next to her were Makoto Kino and Minako Aino, both in similar garb that was either tinted green or orange. Makoto had her jacket open and Minako's skirt was much shorter than her friends'. "Between those monsters' killings and the Riders breaking the laws, my temper just isn't what it used to be."<p>

"Your temper wasn't great to begin with Rei-chan," Minako giggled, making her raven-haired friend glare.

"Now, now. Ami-chan suggested this place so we can relax," Makoto spoke up, trying to get her friends to calm down. "She says her students at the university love it and it's a popular place. It's supposed to be great for unwinding after a tough day on the job."

"We could all use that," Rei sighed, rubbing the back of her neck. "I've just been so stressed lately."

"We all have been," Makoto agreed. "But let's just get something to eat and relax for now."

The three women easily found the restaurant which their friend had told them about. The style looked like an English pub, but it was large enough to qualify as a regular restaurant. Upon entering, the women were met with the noise and good cheer. University students were all at about, chatting up and eating meals happily. It was a very upbeat kind of mood which filled the place. It served to make the three women already feel a little more at ease. Being in such an upbeat place really helped them get their spirits back.

"Let's grab some seats before someone else does!" Minako laughed as she and her friends headed for a free table.

It took a bit of searching, but they did find a free table. The three women immediately took seats and scooped up menus which had been placed there. As they were deciding, Minako took note of a bunch of university students who were at the table next to them. Being the head of the Love Ministry, the excitable blonde was more than familiar with every type of person and what made them attractive. Glancing at the younger people, her eyes landed on a young man with dirty blonde hair.

"Oooh! He looks nice," Minako pondered, eyeing the young man.

"Mina-chan, he's got to be several years younger than you," Makoto frowned.

"Semantics," Minako giggled. "Besides, we're only in our twenties and we're going to stay like that for a long time to come. If he's over eighteen then he's close enough for me!"

"And the guidelines the Love Ministry put up?" Rei frowned, knowing where this was going.

"Testing for compatibility can be done in several ways," Minako shrugged. "I just prefer to do it in more…physical ways."

"Whatever," Rei sighed as she looked to her menu. "Just don't let the tabloids catch wind, will you? It was hard enough to show our faces when your last party was revealed to the public."

* * *

><p>Kyle was waiting on his order to come when he felt it. Someone was watching him. Demand and Esmeraude were maturely flirting with one another while Safir was being cuddled by Topazu. Rubeus was almost asleep after waiting so long and Amethyst was watching the two couples with envy in her eyes. Looking around, Kyle was secretly hoping that it wasn't one of the Royal Class Undead that were keeping an eye on him. Examining all the people, his eyes landed on three women who seemed to be somewhat older than the other people in the joint, easily near their mid twenties or so. One had long raven hair and was examining her menu, the other was at least near six feet in height with brown hair done up in a ponytail and the third had long blonde hair and was smiling flirtingly at him with a wink.<p>

'_Oh shit!_' Kyle gulped as he recognized the trio. '_What are they doing here? Stay cool, stay cool, stay cool…_"

* * *

><p>"Oh! He's a shy one! They're fun!" Minako giggled as she saw the blonde guy take notice of her then look away almost instantly.<p>

"You're getting a little too eager there Mina-chan," Rei frowned.

"Ah it's harmless," Minako shrugged. "I just want to see if we're compatible, that's' all. Even if we aren't, he can go home happy saying he got to shack up with one the most desirable bachelorettes in all of Crystal Tokyo even if it was for a night. What can go wrong?"

"You…just jinxed yourself," Makoto snorted in amusement.

* * *

><p>Kyle just tried to eat his food in peace, but it was hard knowing that three of the Sailor Senshi who would try to take him down should they find out who he was were sitting at the table next to him and his group of friends. It was especially made harder when the lady who was Sailor Venus kept sending him seductive glances or winking at him whenever he got the courage to see if they were still paying attention to him or not.<p>

'_So much for a peaceful night,_' Kyle sighed as he ate.

"Hey Kyle, are you okay?" asked Topazu from her seat. "You seem tense."

"I am tense," Kyle muttered under his breath. He then spoke up louder for Topazu to hear. "Just trying to relax. It's harder than I thought."

"Well, make sure to try," Amethyst commented. "That's what we're here to do!"

"Right…" Kyle sighed.

And so the evening progressed. He tried to talk with the others as best he could, but the blonde was still looking at him now and then. She definitely didn't seem the type to give up easily; then again, she really never gave up back in her teenage years either. Well, at least she wasn't trying to horn in on their conversation like she would have tried back when she was in school. The Minako Aino that he knew was rather boy-crazy and had never had a real relationship before. If that stayed true up to this point, she might be downright desperate.

Kyle was about to see if the woman was still eyeing him when he was suddenly assaulted by a vision. This one involved something running at high speeds, large muscles, a big horn, and a REALLY bad attitude. Grunting as the vision ended, Kyle clutched his head to get the dizziness out.

"Kyle?" Demand asked, seeing his friend look ill all of a sudden. Leaning in closer, he began to speak softly so no one could overhear. "Is it an Undead?"

"Yes," Kyle frowned. "One's gone active and it's moving fast."

"Then let's go get the thing!" Rubeus snapped, secretly hoping that it was a Category Ace Undead.

"Don't have to," Kyle frowned as he began reaching for his pocket. "The Undead…is coming to us!"

KERSMASH!

The entire restaurant was filled with chaos as a large mass of a monster burst through the wall, sending wood, brick, and mortar in all directions. People were struck by the flying debris as they screamed and tried to escape from the beast which attacked them. The beast itself easily passed six feet in height, almost reaching seven. Its shoulders were massive and covered with metal studs along with its massive fists which looked like they could easily hold bowling balls and crush them with the metal studs on the knuckles. The chest was covered in dark gray plating like a rhino's natural skin. Its head was attached to a thick neck and looked like it was made of gray armored plating with a bone horn extending from the middle of the face and a smaller horn growing from the forehead. The face itself seemed similar to a rhino's, if with leather straps wrapped around the muzzle. Topping off the ensemble was the familiar buckle which identified the creature as an Undead.

"Rhino Undead," Kyle frowned as he got up, pulling the Ace of Hearts, however, he froze when he realized that three of the Sailor Senshi were practically standing right next to him. If he and Demand were witnessed transforming by them, then no doubt the Crystal Guard would be knocking down their doors within minutes of the fight being over. So…

"Demand! This way!" Kyle called to his friend, pointing to one of the emergency exits.

"Huh? Bu-!" Demand asked, but Kyle was already pulling him towards the exit.

The group managed to force their way through the emergency exit and make their way outside, even in the chaos of everyone trying to flee. Once they were in the night air though, Kyle and Demand turned their attention to the giant hole in which the Rhino Undead had made its rather flashy entrance.

"Why did we run and not transform?" asked Demand as he brought out the Blay Buckle and the Ace of Spades.

"Because Mars, Jupiter, and Venus were sitting at the table next to us," Kyle answered as he summoned his own belt. "If they saw us transform then they were as likely to attack us as they are to attack the Undead considering our history with them."

"Good point," Demand nodded as the Buckle was fastened to his waist. "Shall we?"

"Yes," Kyle nodded as he raised the Ace of Hearts.

"HENSHIN!"

"**Change!"**

"**Turn Up!"**

Dashing towards the restaurant, both Kyle and Demand passed through their energy fields and emerged as Kamen Riders Chalice and Blade. Drawing their weapons, the pair of fighters dashed towards the restaurant with their battle mindsets ready for what needed to be done.

"Good luck," Esmeraude whispered, praying that her love and her friend would emerge from this battle victorious.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, chaos continued to erupt as the Rhino Undead bellowed wildly, smashing apart the tables and chairs as it went on its rampage.<p>

However, three women stood bravely as they faced this monster. They would defeat it and without Chalice or Blade's help. They would prove they were Crystal Tokyo's champions.

"Get ready!" said Rei as she took out transformation rod. Makoto and Minako followed suit. "Now!"

The three simultaneously called out their transformation commands.

"_Mars…_"

"_Jupiter…_"

"_Venus…_"

"…_CRYSTAL POWER MAKE-UP!_"

In a magnificent display of light and magic which attracted the Rhino Undead's attention, the three young women had transformed into three of the Inner Senshi. Witnesses who hadn't fled saw their heroes and cheered. They know were confident that they were going to be saved and this monster was going to be defeated in only a matter of moments.

"Evil beast who destroys hard-working businesses of the people!" Mars spoke out, pointing at the Rhino Undead. "As the champions of this beautiful city we will not stand-!"

"HROOOOAAAAA!"

That was as far into the speech as Mars could get. Before she or her comrades could finish their dramatic speech, the Rhino Undead had charged at them, forcing them to leap out of the way before they got creamed. The Rhino Undead skidded to a halt after it missed, but not before smashing through another table before it turned around and glared at the collected Senshi again.

"Hey, we weren't finished!" Venus shouted.

The Rhino Undead answered with a loud bellow and charged at the Senshi yet again. All three of the Senshi recalled that their individual attacks didn't seem to affect this new breed of Youma and they weren't dumb enough to believe that repeated use of the same attack would suddenly start working after so many failures. Developing a plan of attack, Mars took the lead and ordered, "Concentrate your attacks, together!"

They called out their attacks as one, thinking that attacking all at once would be able to subdue this beast.

"_Fire Soul!"_

"_Supreme Thunder!"_

"_Crescent Beam!"_

Their attacks collided with the Rhino Undead's chest. However, it wasn't harmed at all as the fireballs, lightning, and beam of light struck it. It just shrugged them off and continued its charge at the shocked Senshi. The spectators were also shocked to see a monster best their champions. As far as they knew, nothing could stand up to the combined might of the Senshi, but their worldviews were easily shattered when they saw that this beast had done just that and was still coming at their defenders to crush them.

All of a sudden, a pair of armored figures leapt over the Senshi and flipped through the air before smashing their feet into the Rhino Undead's snout, sending it staggering backwards. The two figures landed, revealing themselves to be none other than the two radicals…Kamen Rider Chalice and Kamen Rider Blade. The collected people gasped, recalling how these radicals were wanted by Neo Queen Serenity herself. The three Senshi likewise frowned at their appearance, remembering the last time they had met.

"Which one is this?" Blade asked Chalice regarding the Undead.

"_One of the Clubs_," answered Chalice. In honesty, he had never seen this Undead in the Kamen Rider Blade television show. But the image was enough of a clue. "_Category 4 if I'm not mistaken_. _Rush Rhinoceros._"

"Good to know," said Blade as he clutched his weapon tightly. "Let's seal it back where it belongs."

Charging forward, the two Riders attacked with their weapons of choice. The Rhino Undead swung with its meaty arms, but both Riders were able to dodge the large fists. Chalice rolled to the side and slashed at the Undead's torso, bringing a splatter of green blood. However, the Rhino Undead seemed to have a high tolerance to pain as it didn't seem to twitch at the attack. Blade went high, hoping to knock the Undead off balance with a blow to the head. Aiming a second kick, Blade was knocked out of the air by the Rhino's large fist.

Stumbling to the ground, Blade recovered quickly and spread the panels in his sword. Pulling the Two of Spades, he closed the panels and slashed the card through.

"**Slash!**" the Rouzer cried as the image of the Slash Lizard appeared and was absorbed into Blade's chest armor.

The energy hummed around his Rouzer's blade and Blade charged, swinging widely and nearly cutting through the Undead's armor. It let out a roar and grabbed Blade by the neck before hoisting him up. Blade struggled against the Undead's grip as it began to squeeze the life out of him, but it was interrupted when Chalice shot at it with the Chalice Arrow, forcing it to let go of Blade and charge towards him. Chalice spun out of the way before slashing the creature from behind. "Blade! Double-team!"

Blade nodded, picking up his Rouzer, and rushing back into battle. The two attacked viciously, swinging their weapons at the Undead and not leaving it any room to breathe or to counter.

"This is brutal," Sailor Venus grimaced where she was watching the battle go on. Chalice and Blade were slashing and attacking, but the Rhino Undead was swinging back, easily dealing pummeling blows when it connected. It appalled her to see the Riders fighting so brutally. This wasn't how things were done! Fighting had become more peaceful and refined since those dark days before the Purification. Can't these two understand that?

"This is unnecessary! Stop it at once!" Mars shouted, trying to get the attention of the three fighters. Someone had to take control and stop the madness lest the peace become ruined permanently.

Most of the people who were unfortunate enough to be trapped in the building when the battle was taking place truly expected it to end there. After all, no one defied the Sailor Senshi. They were the voice of the Queen and had to be obeyed as if they were Queens themselves. Actually, each of the Senshi was a Queen in their own right because of their connections to the other planets in the solar system. When they ordered something, people obeyed. That was how things were done.

BOOM!

It was a concept that the Riders seemed deaf to as both Riders had tackled the Rhino Undead and crashed through the doors to the kitchen. Sounds of battle echoed from the room, unheeding of the Senshi's cry to stop the fighting. Were they deaf? Stupid? Did they not understand the total barbarism which they were committing by fighting this way? The witnesses were just dumbfounded by it. How could anyone just ignore the Senshi?

Back in the kitchen, the Riders were dealing further punishment upon the Undead as it roared out. Their fists collided with either side of his head, causing it to stumble before they kicked it in the chest, sending it crashing against the pots and pans. The Undead growled and was up on its feet as it prepared to go for another charge. Chalice knew that using their weapons at this point was like using pins on a giant. It was just futile since he barely felt them.

"_Time for some big guns,_" Chalice spoke as he pulled out some of the Rouze Cards he had in his possession. The first was the Chop Head card which he brought to his Rouzer and slashed through, activating its power.

"**Chop!**"

And next the Tornado Hawk card.

"**Tornado!**"

And finally the Rouzer announced, "**Spinning Wave!**"

When the effects of two or more Rouze Cards were combined, a powerful combo could be created. In this case, the Chop Head card boosted the power in Chalice's arm while the Tornado Hawk pushed intense winds around Chalice's body, boosting his power even more. Blade knew he had to step away lest he get himself caught up in the attack. The Rhino Undead snorted again before charging at Chalice again with its horn pointed at his chest. Chalice remained still as he brought up his free arm while the wind howled around him. When the Rhino Undead was close enough, Chalice lashed out with his arm, planting a powerful chop into the side of the Rhino Undead's head. The Undead bellowed in pain and stumbled in his charge, barely missing Chalice. Its stumbling charge continued before he crashed through the wall and back into the main dining area of the restaurant and hit the ground near the Senshi. The Undead gave off a final groan before exploding in a haze of heat and fire.

"Wagh!" Venus cried in shock.

Stepping out through the hole, Blade and Chalice found the body of the Undead laying still. The flames from its energy release had quickly burned out, leaving a blackened circle around it. Walking to the monster, Chalice hefted it over to check if it was truly defeated. Sure enough, the buckle which all Undead wore had snapped open to reveal the runes of defeat.

"Hey! Have some respect for the dead!" Mars snapped as she and her fellow Senshi walked towards the masked duo.

"It's not dead," Blade sighed. "It can't die."

"What?" Jupiter blinked.

"_It's called an Undead for a reason,_" Chalice commented as he stood up. "_They can't be killed. You can only seal them away._"

To punctuate his point, Chalice drew a Proper Blank from his card case and lazily dropped it onto the Rhino Undead. The card spun rapidly as green energy enveloped the Undead. Finally the monster was sucked inside of the card before the card spun and flew back into Chalice's hand. It now held an image of a charging rhinoceros on the front. Chalice nodded at the image before he tucked the card back into the case on his side.

"Why must you use such vulgar tactics to fight these monsters? There are better ways of doing things!" Jupiter frowned.

"Like your way?" Blade sighed. "Jupiter, your way doesn't work! I'd have thought after seeing it tonight you'd finally accept that."

"We just underestimated how tough this monster was!" Venus snapped. "It won't happen again."

"_I'm sure,_" Chalice sighed. Shaking his head, he turned to Blade, "_Let's go. There's more Undead to seal._"

Mars attempted to grab Chalice's arm so to prevent him from leaving, but both Riders moved fast and were out of the building like a shot. The three Senshi were left inside the ruined restaurant with many shivering civilians with them, confused and scared about what they had just seen. Their champions had been bested by this monster before two radicals came in and bested it. Many of them were thinking such a blasphemous thought that they refused to admit that it came up, but there was no denying what they had seen.

The Riders were stronger than the Senshi.

* * *

><p>AN: Another chapter of mindless violence and a chance to mess with the senshi again. They just don't seem to get the message do they?


	7. Turn 7

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 7: The Ace of Diamond Burst Through!**

"And the Senshi deny it ever happened," Topazu frowned as she read the paper the following day after the Rhino Undead was defeated and sealed.

The group of students was rather miffed about the news. The newscasters and the papers were all reporting that the Senshi had bravely defeated the monster which attacked the restaurant while the Riders let them do all the work before swooping in and sealing the monster. It pissed Rubeus off to no end while Safir and Demand were brooding over the insult. Esmeraude was turning red in the face from her anger while Amethyst was pouting about how unfair it was. Kyle himself was just annoyed that the Senshi were being so stupid concerning the Undead. They were convincing themselves that they could beat the Undead and that they just underestimated the ones they had faced so far.

"This is bull crap!" Rubeus snapped, grabbing the paper from Topazu and throwing it away. "The Senshi were getting their asses kicked before Chalice and Blade saved them! Why do they have to make up shit like this?"

"Because it would disrupt the peace of the city and shake the confidence the people hold in the Senshi," Safir sighed. "Neo Queen Serenity has proven that she is willing to do whatever it takes to keep peace and order in this world. If she has to lie to the people or banish a few off the planet, she will."

"And did," Kyle sighed as he picked up the discarded paper. This was getting out of hand. Where was the optimistic and warm-hearted girl he knew from the anime? What had turned her into such a fanatic? How could she justify peace and order when she was using such underhanded tactics? The Usagi Tsukino he knew from the series would never have sunk to such levels. What could have twisted her logic to think doing things like this were okay? No one liked a leader who lied to them.

"So what do we do about it?" asked Amethyst.

"Nothing," Demand sighed. "We keep sealing the Undead. That's what we're here to do, not get famous or something."

"A thank-you would be nice," Amethyst pouted.

"They can't keep this up forever," said Safir. "There were witnesses."

"A fat lot of help that did," snorted Rubeus. "But, still…this gives me an idea."

"What kind of an idea?" Kyle cocked an eyebrow.

"Why don't we publish our own radical newspaper that reports the truth?"

Silence circled around the area. Publish a paper? It was a confusing notion, especially coming from someone like Rubeus who was more into action than he was talking. Finally, Safir just decided to ask the question that was coming to everyone's minds, "And why should we do that?"

"Simple!" Rubeus grinned. "The Senshi are obviously lying through their teeth about these recent fights and a lot of people obviously know that but are probably not going to say because we all know no one will listen."

"Of course no one will listen," Esmeraude snorted. "The people believe that the Queen and her Senshi can do no wrong. I doubt even half the people who saw them losing really believe they were losing. Most likely they convinced themselves the Senshi underestimated the monster or were lulling it into a false sense of security and were about to blast it."

"Maybe, but what about those who accept what they saw?" asked Rubeus. "They saw the Senshi losing and now know that they have new protectors? The Kamen Riders are here for the people, not for the 'greater good' or 'sake of peace and order'. The Riders will go in, save everyone they can, and stop the threat. The Senshi had been mostly shooting magic and not really putting the effort the Riders have been into stopping the Undead."

"You make it sound like we're going to paint them as the bad guys," Demand frowned.

"Well, they kinda are, aren't they?" questioned Rubeus. "I mean telling us how to live, how to dress, what to do and what not to do. They are just trying to control us into doing what they think is right. Anything contrary to their belief is wrong. We have to spread the word and use freedom of speech! We have the right!"

"So, how are we going to get people to read it?" asked Safir.

Kyle thought about it, the idea reminded him of a character from Kamen Rider Blade who was a reporter and a writer. "Why not write and publish a book about our adventures while we're at it?" All eyes were on him. "What? Was it something I said?"

"One step at a time, Kyle," laughed Rubeus.

* * *

><p>It had taken about two weeks, but the first issue of THE RADICAL had been released to the public. It was a small paper, but it was packed full of information. The first issue was mostly information about what the Kamen Riders were, their purpose, and the Undead. The paper explained what the Undead were, where they came from, and a bit about their abilities. It mostly warned the people about how savage these monsters were and at the first sight of one, they should make tracks and save as many people as they could. It also described how to recognize an Undead from a Youma. After all, a Youma would just drain energy and keep the people alive, but an Undead would just kill them.<p>

In the final pages, it was a first-hand account of Chalice's first appearance and battle against the Plant Undead, told by Chalice himself! He spoke about his fear, his adrenaline rush, and his downright confusion as to the laws the monarchy created. He confessed to his confusion to why such laws were created. After all, it looked to him that the monarchy's tactics weren't working on the Undead at all. It left with an open-ended question why fighting fire with fire was wrong when faced with enemies like the Undead.

"This is great!" Amethyst cheered, looking up from her computer. "We've gotten so many hits!"

The group of friends had carefully planned distribution of their paper and electronic editions. Amethyst was actually very computer-savvy despite her major. She managed to create an independent site for the works and it bounced off so many different places, it wouldn't be able to be traced back to her. Safir had contributed by buying the necessary equipment to mass-produce the paper edition. He did it from stores which were a distance away from the school and paid with cash so they wouldn't be tracked by anyone asking questions. The boys had to set up kiosks across the city, far from their dorms and very early in the morning so no one would spot them placing the free stacks of papers.

"Good!" Rubeus grinned. "That means people are noticing! We're getting the message out!"

"That's all well and good, but the Crystal Guard already seized three of the stacks Demand and I put out," Kyle reminded his friends. He had been checking various points where the papers were being distributed and found Crystal Guards taking them away. "I doubt it's because the Queen ordered it though."

"More like for littering," Topazu giggled. "Still, people probably already picked up several papers by now."

"Wonder how the Senshi are taking it right now?" Kyle asked.

* * *

><p>"What are you reading?" Hikaru asked Shima as she stared down at the paper he was reading.<p>

"Something interesting. Small, but it will no doubt shake the foundation of this society," said Shima.

"How can a piece of paper do that?" Hikaru asked skeptically.

"You obviously underestimate the power of the written word."

* * *

><p>If dealing with the Undead and Riders wasn't enough, now a radical newspaper that was spreading propaganda against the Queen and Senshi was being handed out to the masses. However, while the Senshi all rejected the paper, one of them was turning into a huge fan.<p>

Usa-chan, or Neo Princess Serenity was reading the new piece of journalism with rapt attention. Hotaru had actually gotten it for her and snuck it in so they could read it together. Both teenage girls were laying on Usa's bed on their stomachs as they read over the reports. Usa-chan was impressed by how daring Chalice was to report the truth. She herself did not think what her mother was doing was right by lying, even if it was for the 'greater good' as she would say. The people deserved to know the truth. Unfortunately, the truth would rock the foundation of their peaceful and orderly society.

"He's so bold!" Usa giggled as she read over Chalice's rendition of his first battle and his blunt questions about some of the laws in Crystal Tokyo.

"Haruka-papa was really mad at his words though," Hotaru sighed softly. The Senshi really weren't taking too kindly to Chalice's questions and observations of their city.

"She can get mad all she wants, it's not against the law to speak your mind," Usa told her friend as they continued reading. "Besides, after all Chalice and Blade have done for the city, I think they should be allowed to say what they want."

"You should have seen the advisors though," Hotaru commented. "They were going into a frenzy about the paper and the online stuff. They tried to find out where their site is, but not even Ami-chan can find it. Whoever is doing this is more tech-savvy than she is. The papers were all over the city too. It was real easy to find one."

"So they want everyone to know their side of the story," Usa smiled. "This stuff about the Undead is pretty handy too. I still can't believe they were created by Kami though. Do you think it's true?"

"Rei-chan is taking it real hard," Hotaru frowned. "She's saying that the paper is lying, but she's only mad because it helps her hide her feelings. She used to be a miko so I suppose she would be upset by something like that."

"Yeah," Usa sighed sadly.

* * *

><p>"<em>Hmph!<em>" a deep voice growled, looking at a Crystal Tokyo publication. "S_o these little airheads dare say they are the ones beating Undead? I find that hard to believe._" Tossing the paper away, the figure drew a copy of The Radical which had pictures of Chalice on the front. "_You sure are a hog for attention now aren't you, Chalice? Claiming to be the one defeating Undead with a Kamen Rider? That's more believable_."

Tossing the paper to the side, the figure looked up to the Crystal Palace, its glowing image revealing a large pair of jagged horns coming from the figure's head. A snort echoed from the figure's throat before it started stomping towards the palace.

"_Let's see you back up your claim Sailor Senshi_."

* * *

><p>The palace was peaceful at night as all whom occupied it slept. Those who didn't were on guard duty as per their responsibility. The night owls like Ami would be working all night trying to figure out the mysteries behind the Riders and Undead. Even Setsuna was barely asleep as she tried to find her own answers as well. Aside from the usual bumps in the night, it was peaceful. The night would be undisturbed…<p>

Yeah right.

BOOM!

The palace shook as a huge explosion erupted from nearby.

BOOM!

And then followed by another one.

BOOM!

And another.

King Endymion and Queen Serenity both exited their room in their pajamas while the Senshi all were awoken from their slumber or other activities. In times of crisis, they were all trained to meet in the throne room to get their information. It didn't take long for them to all reach their destination, even if all of them were in their night clothes. When they had all arrived at their destination, they tried getting answers as to what was causing the commotion and where.

"Guardsman!" Serenity called through a communicator which was attached to her throne. "Guardsman, what is happening?"

"_Your Majesty! We're…we're under attack!_" the voice of a Crystal Guard cried through the device. "_An enemy force has forced its way into the Palace! I've never seen anything like this! The doors only hold it back for a second before they're destroyed and the enemy moves on!_"

"How many are there?" asked Setsuna with a frown. She hadn't seen this in the Gates of Time so even she was unprepared for such a bold attack.

"_Just…just one! It's…it's one of those creatures which have been attacking us! I've never seen anything like his before! None of our anti-intruder devices are working on it either! It just won't stop coming!_"

Most of the Senshi gasped in shock and confusion. Those security measures were made to stop any intruder which attacked the Crystal Palace cold in their tracks. It made them wonder how powerful their enemy was if none of the security measures could even slow it down. Of course, Hotaru knew from witnessing that magic really didn't work on an Undead. She recalled Chalice's interviews stating the same. It looked like he was right after all.

"_Eh? No! Ahhhh! AHHHHHHHHHH! HCK!_" The voice of the guard screamed out on his end of the line. Silence reined for a moment as the Senshi and their leaders attempted to hear what might have happened to their contact.

"…_hello Sailor Senshi,_" a deep growling voice spoke on the opposite end of the line.

"Who is this?" asked Serenity, already guessing at the answer.

"_I am the Category Ace of Diamonds, the Stag Beetle Undead,_" the voice on the other end of the line answered. "_A pleasure to make your acquaintance._"

"Why are you doing this?" demanded King Endymion. "What reason do you have for causing such terrible violence?"

"_Quite simple,_" the Stag Beetle Undead answered with a dark chuckle. "_You all have claimed that you are the ones who have been defeating my fellow Undead. Personally, I think that you are all lying. Either way, I have come to test your claim. I look forward to meeting you all personally. I'll be there shortly._"

With that, the line went dead. Serenity's eyes had widened considerably as she sat down in her throne. Her decision of keeping the public in the dark about the Riders proving to be the victorious ones against the Undead was now coming to bite her in the end. An obviously powerful Undead had heard about it and now was coming to challenge them. From what she had been able to hear from its words, it wasn't stupid either. It knew how to fight, it knew how to plan, and it was also resistant to magic like the other Undead were.

"This is what we get for lying to the people," Hotaru whispered sadly.

* * *

><p>"Gah!" Kyle cried as he sat up in bed. Images flashed through his brain like wildfire, revealing jagged horns, deep pale armor, what appeared to be a bowgun with jagged edges, and the Crystal Palace. Panting, he jumped out of bed and grabbed his cell phone. Hitting the speed dial, he brought up Demand's number.<p>

"…_hello?_" Demand's voice yawned. Kyle wasn't sure, but he could have sworn he heard Esmeraude's voice mutter in the background.

"Undead. Attacking now at the Crystal Palace. Suit up!" Kyle explained as he pulled at his discarded clothes so to look presentable for being outside.

"_Wait…WHAT?_" Demand's voice cried out. "_It's attacking the Crystal Palace?_"

"Yes! Now meet me outside so we can get going!" Kyle snapped before he shut off the phone. "Category Ace of Diamonds." Kyle frowned. In the show, the Ace of Diamonds had never made an appearance before. Still, it probably was doing what the other Undead before it did, going on killing sprees. Kyle clenched his fists. He wasn't going to let it get away with it, but there was no doubt the Ace had killed a lot of people when it broke into the palace. It was where the royalty lived so of course there would be a lot of guards.

Pulling on his shirt and heading outside, Kyle spotted Demand already waiting for him. He was only wearing a pair of pajama bottoms with a button up shirt that was left open, but Kyle could have sworn that he saw a hickey near his collarbone. However, Demand's appearance took a second seat to seeing Rubeus next to him in full clothing. He had an excited grin on his face along with a camera hanging from around his neck.

"What are you doing here?" asked Kyle with a sigh.

"He's my flat mate so when I got the call, he overheard,"

"Damn right," Rubeus nodded. "Besides, I also have a way to get you to the Crystal Palace. It's too far from here to simply run."

"Then what do you have in mind?" asked Kyle.

"These!" Rubeus grinned, revealing two street motorcycles which were covered in a white body. They were both identical and the inner mechanics looked like they couldn't be seen. That was probably because of the ideology to never see unpleasant things in Crystal Tokyo. The inner workings of cars and vehicles was probably something people didn't bother to think about unless they were mechanics. "Demand owns one, but the other one belongs to me so if you want to borrow it, you have to take me along!"

"Perfect," Kyle sighed. Summoning his belt, he drew the Ace of Hearts. "Can you let me try something first?"

Getting a nod, Kyle walked over to Rubeus' bike and mounted it. Holding the Ace of Hearts, he spoke "Henshin," before sliding the card through.

"**Change!**"

The black field engulfed Kyle's body as he began to change, but it then spread onto the bike, changing it as well. The bike had become completely black with gold trimmings and the headlights now resembled a pair of red eyes. At the front was also a pair of curved extensions resembling the scythe-like claws of a mantis. On the gas tank was a slot for the Rouze cards to be slashed through. Rubeus and Demand were struck speechless by the sudden transformation.

"Woah!" Demand let out.

"Awesome!" Rubeus said as he looked the design over. It conveniently left his mind that this was his bike at first now that he had seen it change into such a cool form.

The normal bike had transformed into Chalice's personal Rider Machine, known as the Shadow Chaser.

"What are you waiting for?" Chalice asked Demand. "Get on and transform!"

Demand nodded as he got on the bike, sliding in the Category Ace into the Blay Buckle. The belt wrapped around him. He then took hold of the handle and pulled it while calling, "Henshin!"

"**Turn Up!**"

The blue rectangular energy field swept over him, donning him in his silver and navy blue suit, and also changing the bike. Its color matched his armor with a single yellow headlight and a windshield shaped like a blue spade. It was the bike known as the Blue Spader. On the gas tank was a slot for the Rouze cards to be slashed through like on the Blay Rouzer. This machine was specifically built for using Rouze Cards much like the Rider systems were, which made it a powerful weapon if used right.

"I am so going with you!" Rubeus grinned as he hopped onto the bike behind his friend Blade.

"_Then let's ride,_" Chalice nodded as he hit the ignition and let the engine roar before he and Blade raced down the streets.

* * *

><p>Smoke could be seen rising from the palace, but inside it was much worse. Blood splattered the walls and floor as the bodies of the guards littered the floor, having been killed by the Category Ace. All their faces were contorted into looks of fear as the Undead had done them in. The Stag Beetle Undead so loved to kill. It was in his nature and he wasn't about to stop when he was enjoying himself so much.<p>

"_Come out, come out, wherever you are…_" the Stag Beetle Undead called.

As much fun as it had killing these wastes of space that the ruling body liked to call guards, the Stage Beetle Undead wanted to start fighting some worthy opponents. As much as he considered the Sailor Senshi to be liars of the highest caliber, he knew that they might be able to provide some amusement for it before he killed them off. He didn't expect too much since he knew for a fact that they couldn't beat even some of the lower class Undead.

Resigned to the amusing massacre, the Ace of Diamonds continued on his way. As the Ace tossed away the body of a Crystal Guard he'd cut in half, he thought back to when he first awoke in this strange new world. It was definitely not the old world but that didn't matter. It was still a world populated by humans and humans were fodder to be killed and tossed aside for amusement. They were hardly a challenge and these 'sheep' that walked about were even worse. Blindly following rules that didn't make sense and worshipping heroes that were too weak compared to the Undead. They even spread lies to calm the masses. It was all for the greater good. Bah! The only thing that was right was the laws of nature. It was survival of the fittest and the Stag Beetle Undead was going to prove he was the mightiest of all. He would do what none of his brethren had done. He would slaughter the Sailor Senshi and their monarchs. Maybe they would prove a challenge but he doubted it. Besides, if the Senshi were an unworthy challenge, at least the Riders would be better sport.

More Crystal Guards appeared and the Ace of Diamonds snorted before blasting at them with his weapon, a bowgun that was modeled after stag beetle horns. It could fire blasts of energy that sliced apart his targets, leaving a bloody mess. Also, it could be used as a melee weapon to cut his targets down.

He was nearing the source of great power that was in the palace. He was going to go and see the Queen. Oh, this was going to be fun.

* * *

><p>Chalice and Blade raced through the streets before finally reaching the crystal palace. Usually it looked like a beautiful and peaceful place, but now it was anything but. The two guards stationed at the front gates were dead with holes blown through them and the doors had been blown up, collapsing onto the ground they were situated on. Both Riders skidded to a stop, looking at the palace. Smoke could be seen rising from within in several places. The odd scream sounded off, indicating that the Crystal Guards were still trying to fight the Ace of Diamonds.<p>

"Damn, it sounds like it's pretty far in already," Chalice hissed.

"And it doesn't seem to be slowing down," Blade agreed before he turned to his passenger. "Rubeus, you get off here."

"Don't have to tell me twice," Rubeus grimaced as he took in the carnage. Hopping off the bike, he looked to his friends. "Come back safe out of this. Amethyst and Esmeraude won't let me hear the end of this if you don't."

"Duly noted," Blade chuckled as he looked to the rubble-filled path. "So how are we going to proceed? Walk?"

"No. these bikes may be our only advantage against the Ace," Chalice frowned as he looked to the Rouzer which was built into his bike. He then got an idea. "Blade, use your elemental card. The bikes have Rouzers built into them. We'll use that ability to push our way right to the Undead."

Blade nodded and watched as Chalice drew the Tornado Hawk card. Taking his example, the new Rider drew the Thunder Deer card. Placing them in the bikes' Rouzers, the two Rider swiped the cards through.

"**Tornado!**"

"**Thunder!**"

The cards faded away as the images on them were absorbed into the bikes. Rubeus watched as the bikes began to power up. Tornado winds whipped around Chalice's bike as electricity crackled all over Blade's.

"Let's go," said Chalice.

"Right!" Blade nodded.

The two energized bikes dashed right through the rubble, blowing it away as they neared the palace. Though it was like entering the enemy's stronghold due to the fact the Senshi regarded them vigilantes and even enemies, the two Riders could not allow the Category Ace to do as it pleased and massacre more people. They had a duty to uphold, and it was to seal the Undead to save lives.

* * *

><p>Kicking at another set of wooden doors, the Ace of Diamonds burst into the throne room where the royalty and the Senshi were waiting for it. Seeing the monster for themselves, they finally got a good look at it. It was clad in a metallic gray natural carapace which looked to be almost silver. The chest armor seemed to resemble a gladiator's with chains hanging from the waist along with armored flaps. The shoulders had stag beetle pinchers extending from them with the elbows matching. Its legs were covered with spikes coming from the feet and kneecaps. Gripped in its right hand was a large bowgun which was styled after stag beetle pinchers and seemed good for close and long range combat. Its head was covered in armor with a giant pair of pinchers extending from it with a toothy grin on the monster's mouth to complete the look.<p>

"_So this is where you were all hiding,_" The Stag Beetle Undead laughed. "_Good. Now I can take you all on at once!_"

"You will regret those words," Neo Queen Serenity spoke from her rear position with the Senshi and next to her husband. Snapping her fingers, the attack began.

"_WORLD SHAKING!_"

"_DEEP SUBMERGE!_"

"_DEAD SCREAM!_"

"_SHABON SPRAY!_"

"_SILENT GLAIVE SURPRISE!_"

"_CRESCENT BEAM!_"

"_SUPREME THUNDER!_"

"_FIRE SOUL!_"

The eight magical attacks cut through the air and the Stage Beetle Undead didn't even try to dodge. It only continued to grin as the eight attacks collided with him, causing a massive explosion. The very room shuddered from the blast, but none of the fighters moved an inch. They waited with baited breath, just knowing they had defeated the intruder, but still wanting to see proof of their victory. Their confidence was only boosted when they couldn't see or hear the monster.

Until…

"_-Cough!- That's it? I slaughtered over a hundred of your little sheep and this is the best you offer me?_" the Ace of Diamonds growled as he stepped out of the smoke, much to the horrified Senshi's shock. The chest armor seemed a little scorched, but that was the only visible result of the combined attack. "_You honestly call yourselves soldiers? You honestly think you can call yourselves that when you can't even fight me like a soldier? Hmph! Here, let me show you how a REAL soldier fights!_"

Raising the bowgun, the Ace of Diamonds unleashed a pulse of power in the form of an energy bolt. It raced through the air before hitting the sparkling floor in front of the Senshi, causing an explosion which made them all scream out in pain and surprise. Stone showered on them as they hit the ground. The collected warrior women had their eyes dazed for a moment before they managed to recover and get up…all but one.

"Nnngh!" Mercury cried as she clutched her leg. The boot was ripped and a stone shard was embedded in her flesh near the ankle, possibly damaging a number of her muscles and/or tendons.

"Mercury!" Mars cried as she ran to her friend.

"_Keep your eyes on the fight!_"

That was all Mars heard before something slammed into the side of her head and made her world turn black. In truth, the Ace of Diamonds had moved at speeds very much unexpected of a creature of its bulk and punched Mars in the side of the head, rendering her unconscious and in a slump on the floor. The Senshi were more than a little stunned to see two of their number rendered unconscious or unable to battle so quickly. Chuckling, the Stag Beetle Undead turned to gaze at the remaining Senshi, "_Now, who's next?_"

"_Crescent Beam!_" Sailor Venus cried, sending a second beam of energy at the Stage Beetle Undead. This time she aimed for the head, but before, the attack splashed off the armor of the target. All it did was turn the attention of the Undead to her.

"_Ah! Good! You're learning. When in doubt, aim for a vulnerable spot!_" The Ace of Diamonds chuckled. "_Too bad you're too weak to take advantage of that strategy._"

Gripping its bowgun, the Ace of Diamonds shot off another round. This time, the blast hit a wall in a loud explosion, knocking Venus to the ground alongside Jupiter who had been standing next to her. Both Senshi were sent to the floor with blood trickling from their heads, being hit from behind by chunks of the stone wall which the Stag Beetle Undead had destroyed with its single shot. With the Inners eliminated, the Ace of Diamonds turned to look at the Outers. All four of them stood ready, but their confidence was shaken.

"_You're pathetic,_" the Stag Beetle Undead frowned. "_You're going down with single blows when warriors that I have fought would take hundreds more attacks to finally defeat. You call yourselves soldiers? You don't know the meaning of the word. I'm bored with you sheep now. I want to fight your ruler. Now…GET OUT OF MY WAY!_"

Raising its weapon again, the Stag Beetle Undead fired off another shot at the four Outers. As the bolt raced at them, Saturn bravely took the front position and cried out "_Silence Wall!_" Crackling black energy then rose up, becoming a wall to block the oncoming attack. From the way that Pluto, Uranus, and Neptune began to smile, they believed that they were safe for the moment. Nothing had broken through the Silence Wall before and only slipped through when Saturn had run out of energy and collapsed from maintaining it. Not even this opponent could break through.

They were wrong.

The Silence Wall seemed to hold up for a moment, but the powerful impact knocked the wind out of young Saturn's lungs and she was unable to concentrate on the field anymore, forcing it to collapse. The shot from the Stag Beetle Undead broke through the barrier and barely missed Saturn herself before crashing into the ground between herself and her family. The resulting explosion was massive like before, but Saturn was sent skidding forward while the three Outers crashed into the polished white stone which made up the throne room. Pluto had hit her head and fell unconscious while Uranus was bleeding from the head and mouth after her impact and Neptune was having problems breathing from her flight.

The Stag Beetle Undead sighed and looked around the throne room. All of the Senshi had been defeated and were unable to continue fighting. It had only been a few moments since it had entered the room and the only reason it took as long as it did was because there had been so many Senshi in the first place. Eyeing each of the downed women, the Stag Beetle Undead just chuckled at the sight, savoring its victory.

"Why?" a voice murmured, catching the Undead's attention. It looked over to see Mercury struggling to her knees despite the bleeding wound in her leg. "Why are you doing this? What could possibly be reason enough to justify what you're doing?"

"_Why? Well, I suppose I could indulge you,_" the Ace of Diamonds chuckled, throwing a look at the King and Queen who were still hanging back. "_The Master created the world and with it He created us. The Undead. We only had one purpose in our existnece and that is to fight. When one Undead remained, that Undead's progeny would inherit the world. It may surprise you to know that there was a Human Undead and it's because of him that the humans rule today. I am doing what I am doing because it is what I was born to do. I am merely following the laws of my creation. Nothing more._"

Walking over to the downed Mercury, the Stag Beetle Undead raised its weapon and pointed it at her head, "_Now, be a good loser and die so I can fight your Queen._"

As the Stag Beetle Undead prepared his weapon to launch the attack to finish her off, the wall to his left suddenly burst wide open, sending rubble and dust flying before the roar of twins engines was heard. A pair of motorcycles flew straight out of the hole and crashed into the Undead, sending it flying backwards as the force of a lightning bolt and a tornado smashed it. It skidded along the floor before hitting the wall on the opposite side of the room.

The conscious Senshi lifted their heads up to see who'd intervened and were not surprised to see the Riders right there at the very moment, mounted on modified motorbikes. The electricity and tornado around them died down, due to the card effects wearing off. While the Riders were not their favorite people in the world, they were a very welcome sight considering the situation at hand. With the Riders themselves, they ignored the Senshi and instead concentrated on the Undead which was recovering from the assault placed on it.

"_Category Ace of Diamonds,_" Chalice identified the Undead. "_The Stag Beetle Undead._"

"Another Ace?" questioned Blade. That would mean one of the other buckles would function if they sealed it here.

"_Yes,_" Chalice confirmed.

"_So, Chalice and Blade,_" said the Stag Beetle Undead as he pushed himself back to his feet. "_You both came. It saves me the trouble of tracking you both down. It's just as well. I was getting bored with these pathetic sheep who dare call themselves soldiers. _"

"Well, we're here, Ugly," said Blade challengingly, "Come and get it."

"_If you insist!_" The Undead raised his weapon and aimed.

"_FLOOR IT!_" Chalice ordered and the engines roared before the two bikes raced forward. The Stag Beetle Undead fired but the two Riders expertly maneuvered around the blasts, avoiding them. This made the Undead more determined to take them down. Drawing his own weapon, Chalice aimed and fired several bolts at the Undead, causing it to yell out as the attacks hit. Blade drew his sword and sped up, his sword pointed forward like a lance as he thrust it forward into the Undead's chest, sending the monster to the ground for a second time. The bikes then squealed as they turned around and Chalice roared ahead. In a move of impressive talent with driving a motorcycle, he detached his buckle with his free hand and snapped it into his Chalice Arrow. He then drew one of his cards and slashed it through his Rouzer.

"**Bio!**"

Chalice took careful aim at his opponent before he lashed out several vines at the Undead, binding it tightly, before speeding past. The vines became taut and the Undead was dragged along the floor, on its back, as Chalice dragged it along the floor as it roared along the way. Closing in on a wall, Chalice did a hairpin turn and the Undead crashed into the wall violently before the vines loosened and vanished. Dropping the ground, the Ace groaned but was able to get back to its feet. Amazingly, it was still holding its weapon despite the painful trip it had been put through.

Blade and Chalice dismounted their bikes and drew their weapons, ready to go all out against their opponent. "_An Ace is a whole lot more dangerous,_" warned Chalice. "_They've got intelligence on their hands._"

"I know," Blade nodded, recalling Chalice's fight with the Beetle Undead. "But this time he has to deal with the both of us."

Chalice silently agreed with the sentiment, but it would still be a brutal fight. Category Ace Undead weren't where they were in the ranks for no reason. They were brutal and powerful fighters and they weren't afraid of using that strength either. Chalice just silently prayed that neither he nor his friend would be hurt by the Ace as he had by the Beetle Undead. Still, this being a Category Ace, the likelihood of getting out unscathed seem rather low.

The Stag Beetle Undead arose from the rubble and dusted himself off before glaring murderously at both Chalice and Blade. "_Now this is what I've been waiting for! A real challenge!_"

The two Riders got into a battle stance and so did the Undead before they charged right at each other. The battle was fierce as both sides collided violently, exchanging vicious blows as sparks flew everywhere from the impact of their weapons, all the while they were being watched.

Neo Queen Serenity liked to think that she was a kind ruler who had given the people the happiness and peace in which they deserved. Granted, there were some people who refused to conform and they tended to cause trouble, but nothing that couldn't be dealt with. The odd Youma still ran around, however the Senshi were more than capable of dealing with it should the situation arise. She had erased all evil from the world and turned it into a new Silver Millennium. It was to be a shining beacon of love and justice for all the cosmos to witness.

However, these newest monstrosities were a blight on everything she believed in. They murdered, they fought, and they caused chaos to everything around them. They could not be allowed to continue their ways in her kingdom. Her Senshi should have been able to deal with them as they could with any Youma, however, during each encounter the Senshi had been easily defeated and in this case, decimated. Serenity just couldn't understand why her Senshi, empowered by pure positive were so swiftly defeated while these Kamen Riders who were obviously tainted with negativity were not only capable of fighting these monsters, but defeating them. If it became common knowledge that the Riders were able to do what the Senshi could not, it would rock the foundation of Crystal Tokyo. So, she had taken steps to ensure that things would remain peaceful for the greater good.

Neo Queen Serenity couldn't understand the Riders themselves as they continued to fight the beast in her throne room. Physical violence and such negative things were outlawed by her soon after she came into power. It was just completely unnecessary. The Senshi didn't need it when they fought enemies in the past so why bother with it? Surely one didn't need to cause physical harm to prove victorious in battle? It was just ugly and destructive. Couldn't the Riders see that? Apparently not. With every new monster that appeared, the Riders continued to use barbaric tactics against them and what made it sour in Serenity's mouth was that those tactics managed to be effective while her tried and true method of long range magic strikes was barely even noteworthy to these monsters.

It was time to make a stand. She would not allow such negativity and chaos to run rampant. These creatures had to be stopped once and for all and the Riders had to be dealt with. While they did wish to save the people of the city, they were doing it the wrong way and they had to be taught otherwise. Bringing her hands out, a sliver light flashed in her hands before turning into the magical relic known as the Silver Imperium Crystal. It was the source of her power and the symbol of her right to rule. It was the item which helped her bring about the purification and erase negativity off the face of the planet. This would also be the stone which would save the Riders from drowning in their own negativity.

Raising the crystal above her head, Serenity began concentrating her energies into the room. In response, the crystal began to shine brightly, covering everything in a brilliant white light. Chalice, Blade, and the Stag Beetle Undead all stopped fighting momentarily as the light became too bright to ignore. Shielding their eyes, they too were engulfed within the silver light. The Senshi were all affected by the light as the wounds they had suffered seemed to vaporize, leaving their skin as clear and unblemished as before. Even Mercury was healed as the stone fragment in her ankle fell out and the hole in both her boot and flesh was sealed shut as if nothing happened. Blade and Chalice felt a warmth cover their bodies like a warm blanket.

"_Mighty warriors, such fighting is unnecessary,_" they both heard Neo Queen Serenity's voice speak in a gentle and caring tone. "_You are filled with such negativity. Forget your ways and open your hearts to the light. You'll be so much happier this way. You'll find peace every day, happiness, love, it is all for you. Please, accept me._"

As the light had washed over Chalice and Blade, it tried to seep into their armor. However, a green aura began leaping through said armor, warding off the shining light. On both Riders, the emblems on their chests began to glow with rebellious green power. The Heart on Chalice and the Spade on Blade both shone brightly as the Queen's magic attempted to remove what was considered impure and unnecessary from their bodies.

Chalice himself could barely believe what was happening. Both he and Blade had come into the palace and saved the Senshi and the Queen decided to try and brainwash them while their backs were turned! Was the Queen this dumb? Did she really believe that fighting like the Riders do was that unnecessary, that the Senshi's way was truly the best even though she had seen for herself that the Undead were practically immune to her magic? The Senshi had all been defeated and tossed aside like rag dolls! Surely she had to admit that her way wasn't working, wouldn't she? Either way, her denial of the situation was really beginning to piss Chalice off.

"**We…REJECT!**" Both Chalice and Blade cried, making the green aura around them flare out angrily. The Light of the Silver Imperium Crystal was pushed back, the recoil of which pushed Serenity onto her butt as she dropped the crystal. Her eyes were wide with shock and a little bit of fear. No one had resisted her purification before! It was impossible! Just what kind of power did the Riders possess if it allowed them to resist the call of the crystal?

Turning back to the Ace of Diamonds, Chalice saw that it had been temporarily blinded by Serenity's attempt to convert himself and Blade. It was a golden opportunity for both Riders to end the battle and get a new card. Drawing three Rouze Cards from his case, Chalice tossed the Blizzard Polar to Blade while he was drawing another card from the panels hidden within his sword. Chalice kept the Chop Head and the Fire Fly before he and Blade began Rouzing them.

"**Chop! Fire!**"

"**Slash! Blizzard!**"

Ice began to fly around the Blay Rouzer while energy crackled along the length of its cutting edge. Chalice's free arm trembled with energy while fire engulfed it, but not hurting him in the least. With their attacks charged, both Riders gave off a battle cry before they charged at the stunned Stag Beetle Undead. The Undead in question was furiously rubbing its eyes, trying to get its sight back, but it was recovering slowly. Chalice and Blade didn't wait as they got in close and unleashed their attacks. Chalice slammed his chop into the Undead's head in an explosion of fire while Blade slashed it across the torso in a blast of icy power.

"_GYAAAAHHHHHHH!_" the Ace of Diamonds roared in pain as sparks and green blood splashed out of its wounds. Through sheer force of will, it managed to stay on its feet, revealing just how tough it was. Still, it was barely able to stand as it stepped backwards, leaving a trail of green blood in its wake. It just stared blankly at the Riders for a moment before it started chuckling, giving it a creepier appearance. "_Heh, heh, heh, well…done. I guess I lose. Nothing wrong with losing to guys like you though._"

With a groan, the Stag Beetle Undead fell backward and hit the ground, releasing a powerful explosion which scorched the white stone around it. Flames rose up from the initial area with the body of the Undead being in the core of it. Its buckle snapped open in the midst of the flames, revealing the runes signaling its defeat. Blade didn't hesitate as he opened the panels in his sword again and drew a Proper Blank before tossing it at the Undead. The card landed on its torso before spinning, drawing in the Undead in an aura of green light. Finally, the Undead was drawn into the card completely before flying back to Blade's waiting hand. The card no depicted a stag beetle on a green background with a diamond on its shell.

"Ace of Diamonds," Blade confirmed.

"_Good,_" Chalice nodded. Turning to glare at Serenity, he scoffed at her. "_Let's get out of here before they try to backstab us again. Ungrateful morons._"

"Right," Blade agreed.

Both Riders walked over to their bikes and mounted the machines. Taking one last look at the Senshi and a particularly hard glare at the Queen, both fighters turned their machines on and took off through the hole in the wall they had created. The Senshi were then left alone to lick the wounds to their pride seeing as Serenity healed the physical ones.

* * *

><p>"She tried to use the crystal on you guys?" Esmeraude gaped as Demand and Kyle recounted their tale. It was early morning and everyone was already awake, hoping that Demand and Kyle would be returned to them safely.<p>

"I got the whole thing on film!" Rubeus confirmed as he held up his camera. "She tried to hit them from behind and purify them like she did the world when she first came into power."

"That's a coward's tactic!" Topazu frowned. "I can't believe she would resort to such tactics. I thought she used to be an honest ruler, but…"

"Given the fact that she outright lied to the people and now doesn't seem to mind using underhanded tactics against those who stand against her, it seems she's a bit more arrogant and petty than we all thought," Safir scowled. "And you say the Senshi were all defeated by the Undead?"

"Every last one of them," Demand nodded. "I think it was going to try and kill them when Kyle and I intervened. Although I doubt they would be thanking us any time soon considering our history with them."

"No kidding," Kyle frowned. "It seems that Crystal Tokyo isn't such a warm and fuzzy place after all. If the Queen is willing to lie to her people and remove anyone who stands against her in such ways, then what else do you think she's done to keep the peace?"

"I don't want to think about it," Amethyst shivered in fear.

"Well, this time the people will know about it," Rubeus grinned. "In the pages of the next RADICAL."

* * *

><p>AN: Another Ace has been sealed which means another Rider is due to appear. We also see that Neo-Queen Serenity is not the benevolent woman that she claims to be, if only a little.


	8. Turn 8

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 8: The Gun is Drawn! A New Garren!**

True to his word, the next edition of THE RADICAL told the story of the Ace of Diamonds attacking the Crystal Palace, complete with pictures detailing the whole story of the Riders' involvement. It made particular note that the Senshi had all be routed by the Undead even though they had claimed to be beating the Undead whenever they appeared. It also revealed Serenity's underhanded trick at attacking the Riders from behind with her purification attack. It also mentioned how the Senshi should be thankful that the Riders saved them instead of admonishing them for the way they did battle against them.

The reaction had been rather interesting. The Crystal Guard, despite their numbers being cut down, had swooped in and taken as many of the stacks of papers as they could find. Of course, people had already gotten a number of them already and had read it. While it was too much to hope that everyone would believe it, some did and it began planting seeds of doubt in their minds. Were the Queen and the Senshi really lying to them? Were they being beaten by the Undead at every turn? Would the Queen really resort to attacking from behind like the paper claimed? It seemed too unbelievable…but, the pictures seemed to speak for themselves.

It was small, but the seed of doubt had been planted.

* * *

><p>"And so it begins," Shima nodded as he read through the newest edition of THE RADICAL.<p>

"And what would that be?" asked Hikaru.

"The seed of change has been planted," Shima answered. "All it needs now is time and it will grow it a beautiful flower."

"Hmph!" The Queen of Clubs snorted. She still couldn't see how a simple newspaper would be able to change this decadent city.

* * *

><p>Like before, the Senshi reacted poorly to the latest issue of THE RADICAL and the propaganda it was spreading. While most of the papers had been confiscated and disposed off, a good number had already been picked up and read by civilians. Doubt and whispers were spreading around the city. The advisors were reporting that people were beginning to think differently of their Queen and even frowning upon her action. The Queen would need an excuse and quickly if she wanted people to get over this incident.<p>

Usa-chan herself was reading the latest issue with Hotaru. They knew it was true and weren't going to deny it. Her mother had tried an underhanded tactic and it was being told in THE RADICAL. She loved her mother, but even she had to agree that what Neo Queen Serenity had tried to attempt was dirty. She had never known her mother to do something like this before though. It just wasn't in her character. Still, she had still done it and it just seemed wrong to Usa-chan.

Not that Serenity was entitled to be in a different character after everything that happened the previous night. Being locked in a panic room during emergencies, Usa-chan had only gotten a second-hand account from Hotaru after all was said and done. The Stag Beetle Undead had killed off almost every guard in the palace and hadn't even blinked an eye. It had throttled the Senshi almost as easily and they were lucky to get off with only light injuries. The Riders blew a hole in the wall and managed to beat the thing, but they used their violent tactics again and Usa-chan knew her mother to have little patience for it. All of that bad stuff happening at once probably pushed Neo Queen Serenity to the brink.

"I'm just glad you're all okay," Usa smiled at Hotaru as they read the publication.

"Still sore, but fine," Hotaru smiled back. "The Riders weren't happy about the Queen's attempt at purifying them though."

"I know," Usa nodded with a sigh. "I'm surprised they were able to resist it. They must be pretty strong if they could do that. Still…I can't believe Mom would try and get them with it while their backs were turned. Last time she did it, she asked permission from everyone first."

"Yes. But remember that a lot was going on so maybe she felt like she didn't have the luxury," Hotaru retorted. "I don't know the Queen as well as you do, but maybe she saw it as the only way to stop the violence."

"Maybe…" Usa pondered. Still, the Undead was the bigger threat at the time so why did her mother try to get the Riders along with it?

* * *

><p>"And Neo Queen Serenity sends a press release that tells all," Esmeraude sighed as she read the newest edition of the Crystal Tokyo Times as she and her friends ate in the school cafeteria. "She is quoted saying that her target was the monster which had broken into her throne room and attacked her Senshi. The Riders just got caught in the crossfire which is unfortunate. She says she didn't have a choice since it seemed like they were losing."<p>

"Oh that's bullcrap!" Rubeus snorted, reining in his colorful language while in public. "I saw the whole fight. Chalice and Blade were doing just fine. The Queen just saw them all distracted and attacked with her crystal. There was no reason for her to do that."

"Beyond getting the Riders to become obedient citizens like the rest of the city," Safir commented as he ate.

"She doesn't even mention that her Senshi had lost against the Undead," Topazu snorted.

"She claims the photos in THE RADICAL are fakes too, made to make the Riders look good," Amethyst added, reading over Esmeraude's shoulder.

"We didn't have to fake them," Kyle retorted. "We saw with our own eyes. The Senshi were all down for the count and the Ace of Diamonds was about to kill them when we showed up. We saved their lives, although I heard that Serenity can revive the dead with her crystal so maybe that's why she didn't leap in to help."

"Dying still hurts though," Rubeus grunted. "Everyone keeps saying what great friends she and the Senshi are, almost like sisters. I wouldn't let a brother or sister of mine get hurt like that and do nothing if I could do something about it."

"You don't have siblings," Topazu pointed out.

"Yeah, but the notion is still there," Rubeus shrugged.

"Anyway," Kyle sighed as he looked to his friends. "An issue we have to deal with now is that we have the third of four Aces and we'll have to figure out who is going to become the new Garren. Since things seem to be peaceful at the moment, I suggest that whoever becomes Garren takes some time to get used to the armor while training with Demand and I so to get used to the weapon which Garren uses to fight the Undead."

"What kind of weapon does Garren use anyway?" asked Topazu. "You never mentioned it."

"Didn't I?" Kyle blinked. "Oh. Well, Garren's main weapon and Rouzer is a gun."

"A GU-MPH!" Amethyst shrieked out only to be stifled by Esmeraude's hand.

"Do you want everyone to know what we're talking about?" the green haired woman hissed. Amethyst gulped nervously before she sunk into her seat, obviously feeling a little guilty about her little outburst. Seeing that the purple-haired girl was dealt with, she looked back to Kyle. "A gun you say? That's Radical even for us. Firearms were considered illegal in the country even before the Purification you know. I can only name three people who have one."

"Well, if one of us does become Garren, then I hope you can get in contact with them for training," Kyle replied. "Because we'll eventually need all four Riders for taking on the Undead and I don't want any of us to be rusty with weapons."

"Well said," Demand agreed. Reaching into his pocket, he produced the Ace of Diamonds which he and Kyle had worked to seal the previous night. "Now, let's see if any of us are lucky enough to get a reaction from it."

Demand held out the Ace of Diamonds where Esmeraude snatched it for herself. She waited only for a moment before passing it to Amethyst with a pout, finding that there was no reaction to her. Amethyst was silent as she waited, but she was met with the same result. Safir took it next and waited with baited breath, however he heaved a sigh when the card didn't show any reaction to his touch. Topazu took it next as she examined the art on the picture, but shrugged when nothing happened and dropped it into Rubeus' waiting hands. The redhead stared at the small card for a moment before the picture suddenly flashed, revealing a circle with a wand, a sword, a cup, and a coin in it which morphed into a green diamond before fading away.

"YAHOO!" Rubeus cheered as he leaped to his feet. "I ROCK! FINALLY! AWRIGHT! YEAH!"

"Sit down you idiot," Kyle huffed, yanking Rubeus' arm so he sat back down, still receiving stares from people sitting around them. "Yes we're all happy for you. Now we start training you so you don't goof up when you finally fight an Undead. That'll be the last thing we need."

"I am SO there!" Rubeus grinned, holding the Ace of Diamonds like it was a trophy.

* * *

><p>Rubeus was grinning like an idiot as he walked down the streets with the Ace of Diamonds and HIS Garren Buckle hidden inside of his jacket. Kyle had scheduled a training session for him the next day so he could get used to wearing the armor. Of course, Rubeus had been training with extra weights on his body where the armor would presumably be on his body so he might just be able to deal with the weight better than Demand did when he first became Blade. Still, Rubeus managed to get his hands on the Garren Buckle since he was the chosen of the Diamonds which just fed his ego to no end.<p>

"It's great to be me," Rubeus grinned as he took out the Ace of Diamonds to admire once again. His luck was really good today. Maybe he should try a lottery or something.

Turning a corner, Rubeus was snapped back to reality when something small hit the stone wall in front of him, sending bits and pieces of it in all directions. Recoiling from the shrapnel, he looked around to see just what had almost hit him. However, what he did see was a far from welcome sight. Bodies were littering the ground, each with a hole in their head or heart. The ones that were still alive were crying and moaning in pain, clutching their arms or legs with blood leaping from between their fingers.

"What the-?" Rubeus gaped at the sight, growing pale at the gruesome sight.

BANG!

"Woah!" the redhead cried as something hit the sidewalk near his feet. Looking up, he spotted something standing on top of a building across the street. Rubeus may not have been the smartest tool in the shed, but even he could tell an Undead when he saw one.

This Undead was slightly hunched over with smooth brown armor covering its back. Its shoulders were likewise covered by the same round plating while leather straps with metal studs covered its biceps. Its forearms and hands looked like brown-armored claws, but in each of them looked like a pair of black steel revolvers which had round plating and claws on them. The Undead's torso was thin, but covered in studded armor with the familiar Undead belt wrapped around its waist. Its legs were much thicker, revealing brown armored feet with bone claws for toes. This was the Category 2 of Diamonds, Bullet Armadillo. Not that Rubeus knew that part though.

"You're all mine," Rubeus grinned, his blood already boiling for the fight. Pulling out the Garren Buckle, he slipped the Ace of Diamonds into it before bringing it to his waist. A silver belt which looked like it was made of connected cards wrapped around his waist and secured the buckle. Finally, Rubeus brought his hand to the handle on the side and gave a cry of "Henshin!" before yanking the handle. The panel then flipped over to reveal a gold diamond on a green background.

"**Turn Up!**"

A blue field shot from the belt and grew to a size fit for a human to pass through. On it was a picture of the Stag Beetle which was on the Rouze Card. Rubeus already knew what to do as he dashed towards the field with all his might. Finally reaching it, he easily passed through it, and emerged as someone new.

He was donned in a red bodysuit with silver chest armor which had a large diamond imprinted on the front. His shoulders were covered with pointed silver armor with more diamonds engraved on them. His arms and legs were covered with silver gauntlets. On his left arm was a Rouze Absorber much like the one Blade sported while at his waist was a large gun with a diamond-shaped barrel which contained the Rouze Cards in which he possessed. His helmet had a pair of green eyes and a silver face. On top of the helmet were two horns which were styled to look similar to what a stag beetle would sport. This was Kamen Rider Garren.

"Yahhhhh!" Garren roared as he charged towards the Armadillo Undead. Drawing the Garren Rouzer, he took aim at the Undead and squeezed off several rounds, making gunshots ring in the air. A few bullets missed, but others made their mark. The impacts brought sparks raining from the Armadillo Undead's body along with pained screeches. Garren's shot had hit, but it had been a lucky one. To deal with this Undead, he had to fight it head on and face to face. Eyeing a fire escape, he rushed towards it and climbed on. He went up and then leapt onto the rooftop where the Undead was waiting. Apparently it had desired a face-to-face battle itself since it waited for the diamond Rider to appear.

"You're an ugly sucker, ain't ya?" Garren chuckled. The Armadillo Undead hissed deeply at the Rider before opening fire upon him. Garren rolled out of the way in time before he returned fire, striking the Undead in the chest. Now that it was distracted, Garren charged at the Undead and tackled into it, sending both of them tumbling along the rooftop. The two wrestled for a bit before the Undead kicked Garren off it but had trouble rolling off its back, making Garren laugh.

"What's the matter? You've fallen and can't get up? Good. Stay there. This will make it a whole lot easier to take you down!" He aimed the Garren Rouzer at the Undead, but all of a sudden.

"Stop what you're doing!"

"Oh, for crying out loud…" groaned Garren. The Senshi again, as usual.

* * *

><p>Both Demand and Kyle were riding to the scene when Kyle's Undead senses detected the presence of the Armadillo Undead. It had hit them suddenly and both were on the trail. Demand was on his street bike while Kyle was using Rubeus' own ride for a second time. Both of them had reacted quickly when Kyle had gotten the vision of another Undead on the attack. Of course, they hadn't been able to contact Rubeus. Either he forgot to turn his cell phone on again, he was out of range, or he was fighting the Undead having found it himself through sheer luck.<p>

"This way!" Kyle gestured as he and Demand turned a corner on their bikes.

Both Riders came to a stop at the beginning of the street, gaping at the sight of the numerous dead bodies which were littering the ground in front of them. Both were stunned into silence and stillness at the gruesome sight. Even Kyle, who had seen the cruelty of the Undead up close was shocked at seeing this level of death. Just what Undead were they dealing with?

"Foul creature who takes the lives of the innocent without care-!" a female voice began

"OH SHUT THE HELL UP!" a male voice bellowed in anger. The enraged cry managed to snap both young men out of their funk.

"I think we know where Rubeus is," Demand sighed as he pointed at a rooftop where several figures could be found.

"Yeah," Kyle nodded. He then drew the Ace of hearts as he dismounted his (borrowed) bike. "Henshin!"

"Henshin!" Demand copied, revealing his Blay Buckle and Ace already fastened to his waist.

"**Change!**"

"**Turn Up!**"

* * *

><p>Garren was feeling his temper getting the better of him as he stared at the two Senshi were butting into his fight with the Armadillo Undead. It was a slight surprise to see which Senshi he was getting annoyed by, but not by much. Rather than one of the Inners who pestered Demand and Kyle, Garren was getting stared down by the two Outers Uranus and Neptune. Well, Uranus was glaring at him for his use of foul language while Neptune was a little startled that it had been directed at her.<p>

"Stay out of my way and let me finish this," said Garren harshly as he took aim at the Undead. However, Uranus was fast and grabbed his gun-wielding arm. "What! Let go!"

"You are in direct violation of the Queen's law for being in possession of an outlawed weapon," Uranus stated. "Now, stand down."

"Urgh, no way!" Garren growled in Uranus' face. While Garren was arguing with Uranus to let him go, the Armadillo Undead finally rolled off its back and onto its hands and knees before rising back to its feet. Hissing at Garren, it took aim with its revolvers and prepared to shoot at the Rider and the two Senshi. However, before it could fire, two figures lunged at it and knocked it to the ground with their feet. The Armadillo Undead was sent sprawling from the double kick as is attackers landed on the ground.

"Blade! Chalice!" Garren exclaimed as he saw his fellow Riders.

"_Garren, we'll hold off the Senshi,_" said Chalice. "_The Undead is yours._"

"Alright!" Garren nodded before kicking Uranus in the gut to pull his arm back. With his gun arm free, Garren turned his attention back to the Armadillo Undead which was again recovering from the previous assault. Its claws were already clutching its weapons and preparing to use them on the numerous opponents which were in its gaze. Mustering his courage, Garren charged at the Undead with his own gun at the ready, preparing to take the thing down and seal his first Undead.

"Stop!" Uranus tried to give chase after Garren so to relieve him of the outlawed weapon, but she found her way quickly blocked by Chalice. The heart Rider had his weapon tightly gripped in his hand, prepared for any kind of assault which might come at him.

"_Sorry. Private party. Riders only,_" said Chalice coldly.

Blade also stood before Neptune, his hand on his holstered Blay Rouzer. "Sorry if you disagree with our methods, but we have a job to do," the sword-wielding Rider said to the aqua-marine haired Senshi.

"And you would leave your comrade to fight the creature alone?" asked Neptune disapprovingly. It again reminded Chalice and Blade of how a mother would look at children who were naughty and didn't know it.

"_Since he seems so sure of himself, yes,_" Chalice nodded, never turning his gaze from Uranus, knowing how aggressive she was in the series. Granted, she probably mellowed out since Crystal Tokyo was founded, but he wasn't going to take any chances. Especially with her 'the ends justify the means' attitude which she had sported in the past.

"He'd never forgive us if we butted in and he didn't ask for help," Blade chuckled.

"Are you both blind?" Uranus gaped. "He's using a forbidden weapon to go against this monster! He's breaking laws just by standing in front of us! Don't you have any respect for the Queen's laws?"

"_Not really,_" Chalice shrugged. "_I find a number of Serenity's laws to be unnecessary and downright ludicrous to be honest. They keep your people from defending themselves when an Undead or Youma does appear. Instead they just run screaming like chickens with their heads cut off when they could be protecting themselves or saving the lives of their fellow citizens._"

"How dare you!" Uranus snapped.

"_I'm just daring I guess,_" Chalice shrugged.

Meanwhile, Garren was continuing his fight with the Armadillo Undead. Both combatants were shooting at each other when there was enough distance to use their weapons. The Armadillo Undead had an advantage in speed since it never needed to reload its weapons despite them being revolvers and it had a quick rate of fire. Garren's gun wasn't automatic so he had to pull the trigger of the Garren Rouzer to fire a shot every time. However, his accuracy was better seeing as the Armadillo Undead wasn't built for speed. So Garren was scoring more hits against the Undead, but it didn't mean he was assured victory just yet.

"Take this!" Garren cried as he squeezed of several more shots. The bullets' aim was true as more sparks and flecks of blood flew from the Armadillo Undead's hide. The monster bellowed in pain again while shooting wildly at Garren. The enemy bullets were a little wide, missing Garren by a considerable margin while he had to move to dodge the others. Still, the diamond Rider was feeling confident that he was going to beat this Undead.

"Is that all you've got?" Garren goaded the Undead. "C'mon! Give me your best shot!"

It was a gesture that the Armadillo Undead was happy to oblige by. Holstering its two weapons, the Armadillo Undead curled itself into a large sphere, looking like an armored brown ball. Garren didn't know what to make of the Undead's newest attack, but he knew that it wasn't going to prove good for him. That hunch was proven correct when the armored ball drove at Garren with the force of a bullet. The stunned Rider didn't get a chance to react as the ball hit him, bringing a rain of sparks.

"Agh!" Garren cried, launched back by the force of the attack. He hit the ground and skidded lightly before coming to a stop. Groaning slightly, he managed to begin getting back to his feet, "Okay, that hurt."

Getting up, Garren saw the Armadillo Undead beginning another assault with its spinning attack. The armored ball sped forward, kicking up dust as it went. This time, Garren was prepared as he managed to dodge the attack by rolling to the side. He knew that the Armadillo Undead's shell was probably going to be tough to get through. Still, he had to try. This was his first outing as a Rider, and he wasn't going to blow it. Chalice sealed an Undead on his first try and so did Blade. Garren wasn't about to let that happen as he grabbed a part of the Garren Rouzer and opened it to reveal panels with Rouze cards inside of them. Pulling out the only two filled ones, he shut the panels and brought the cards to a slit in the top of the weapon.

"**Scope! Fire!**" the Rouzer called as Garren slashed the two cards through. Their images appeared in light and were absorbed into Garren's chest while the cards themselves vanished, being Rouzed. Garren then took an uncharacteristic cleansing breath as he pointed at the armored ball which was beginning to move again. With the Scope Bat enhancing his eyesight and accuracy, Garren could see a seam in the armor where the two ends would meet. It would be a pretty tricky shot, but he was sure that he could do it.

"Take this!" Garren roared, firing a well-timed fireball out of the barrel of his Rouzer. The flaming projectile raced through the air before it came at the Armadillo Undead. Through an amazing feat of incredible accuracy, the fireball managed to slip right through the seam of armor of the ball that the Armadillo Undead had curled itself into. The effect was instant as sparks from the impacts spilled out of the seam and a squeal of pain echoed from inside the armored ball. The armored sphere instantly unfolded, letting the Armadillo Undead spill out onto the rooftop. It was struggling to its feet while it reached for its guns, however…

"How do you like your Undead? Well done, or charbroiled?" Garren's voice snickered. Looking forward the Undead saw the barrel of the Garren Rouzer pointing directly at it. Garren himself snickered at his line before he decided to answer it. "I prefer burnt to a crisp."

BANG! BANG! BANG!

Fireball after fireball burned through the air before colliding with the Armadillo Undead in showers of sparks and smoke. The kaijin was pushed back more and more with each round that exploded against its hide. It screeched in pain from the attacks, pinned by the blasts which assaulted it. Garren continued his barrage unmercifully, which was understood considering the number of corpses below who had been sniped off by the Armadillo Undead's own guns. Said barrage just continued until the Rouze Cards which Garren had used finally wore off, returning his attacks to regular bullets.

The Armadillo Undead was left standing looking like a charred cinder. Its entire front was covered in soot and burns. Nothing it couldn't eventually recover from with time, but the attack was still brutal. The kaijin could only give off one last pitiful moan before it collapsed to the ground. An explosion erupted from it as what power it had was released from its defeat, leaving the ground as charred and black as the Undead was at the moment. Garren's ears then picked up a snapping noise coming from the Undead. Stepping closer, he spied the belt which the Undead wore and the buckle which had opened to reveal three runes. Pulling the panels out of the Garren Rouzer, the diamond Rider plucked one of the Proper Blank cards from the group before he tossed it at the downed Undead. The card made contact with the Armadillo Undead before turning it into green energy and drawing it into itself. The card changed as the Undead was pulled inside, gaining an image of an armadillo in a rolling position before flying back to Garren's hand.

"Category Two, Bullet Armadillo," Garren read as he looked at the card. "Hey, it's one of mine!"

"_Not bad,_" Chalice nodded as he turned away from Uranus and walked towards his comrade. "_You did pretty good for your first time in the suit. Better than Blade did anyway._"

"Hey," Blade sighed, walking to his allies. "Garren had previous training, I didn't. Besides, it was a Category 2 anyway."

"Hey, a win's a win," Garren shrugged, idly sliding his new card into the panels in his Rouzer. "I'll take it."

"And we'll be taking it from you!"

The Riders turned back to where Uranus and Neptune were still standing. Both were still in the spots they were standing when the fight began. However, Neptune had her hands on her hips while Uranus had her arms crossed. Both looked to be serious about what they had said, which caused a little confusion with the three Riders. Did they honestly say what they thought they said?

"Excuse me?" Blade questioned, cocking an eyebrow.

"In case you ladies haven't been paying attention, I earned this card fair and square," said Garren, waving the Bullet Armadillo card in his hand. "So don't think you can take it from me without a fight."

"It's quite apparent that those cards are highly dangerous items," Neptune frowned. "We may have been lenient before, but we know that the more of those items you possess, the more dangerous you three become. Just by sealing the one at the castle, a third Rider has appeared. The Inner Senshi were more distracted by these monsters to really do anything, but we are not them. As an Agent of the Queen, I order you to surrender and submit your weapons for confiscation."

Chalice groaned and shook his head, seeing that Neptune and Uranus seemed absolutely serious about their order. They figured out that the cards were the source of their power so they were learning, just not the way that would be beneficial to the city itself. Still, the way Uranus and Neptune just stood still and watched the battle indicated they wanted to learn something about the Riders. In that, they were successful. It seemed that their tactics hadn't changed too much since the Deathbuster Arc Chalice recalled watching some time ago.

"And just give up the only means of stopping the Undead?" asked Blade. "I don't think so."

"We insist!" Uranus growled as she took a threatening step forward.

"_And we insist to keep them!_" shouted Chalice. "_Blade, Blizzard!_" Chalice ordered as he drew his Tornado Hawk card. Blade swiftly took out his Blizzard Polar card and tossed it to Chalice. The heart Rider acted quickly as he brought the cards to his previously inserted Rouzer and slashed the pair through.

"**Blizzard! Tornado!**"

The cards were absorbed into the Chalice Arrow and the heart Rider aimed at the Outers before letting loose an extremely powerful blast of ice cold air at the two Senshi. Uranus and Neptune were pushed back by the sudden blizzard. They covered their faces to avoid the biting cold which nipped at their exposed skin and made them turn numb. Once the attack subsided, the Outers saw that the Riders had fled. They had used the blizzard to cover their escape.

Uranus gritted her teeth and clenched her fists. The Riders were indeed a group of radicals that needed to be stopped, one way or another.

* * *

><p>The three Riders escaped into the privacy of an alley after their daring escape by using a blizzard on Uranus and Neptune. With that privacy, they removed their armor, allowing them to return to their anonymity. Of course, Rubeus was grinning he entire time, causing Kyle to remark, "Why do you look so damn smug?"<p>

"Oh, just imagining the look on those two's faces when we escaped," stated Rubeus honestly. "They must be really peeved."

"Which will make them hunt us down even harder," Demand frowned. He looked at his Category Ace. "Guess they are learning about what the cards can do."

"Yeah, and they want us to give them up," snorted Kyle. "Fat chance. Whether they want to admit it or not, we're the only hope for this city against the Undead."

"Heck, all I can say is that this is gonna be a great entry in the next Radical," said Rubeus.

Kyle nodded and then asked, "So, how did it feel to be a Rider for the first time?"

Rubeus grinned from ear to ear. "Totally wicked!"

Kyle smiled. If Rubeus thought this was cool, he was going to go nuts when he got his Category Queen and Jack so he could assume Jack Form. That thought made Kyle frown briefly. The Queen of Diamonds was a psycho and the Jack of Diamonds was a sneaky and deceptive type. Not Undead to tangle with alone. They haven't met any of the Royal Class Undead yet but it would only be a matter of time before they encountered any of them. Unlike the Category Ace and the Categories 2 through 10, Royal Undead could assume human form, which gave them a huge advantage. They could blend in and kill in secret.

Kyle would have to prepare his friends to fight against the Royals. He knew what to expect from them from the original show. It was going to be a lesson the other Riders needed to learn in order to take the Royals down.

* * *

><p>Inside one of the less glamorous buildings within the rather neglected industrial sector, there was action going on. Four Undead had stumbled onto each other and were growling and snarling at each other. Their instincts were screaming at them to do battle with each other as was their purpose for living. What these four Undead were was a mystery, as the shadows and cloak of night was keeping their identities secret even from each other. Still, they recognized the scent of another Undead and were just itching for a fight.<p>

"_Hnnn. Not the best, but I suppose I can't let them go to waste either,_" a voice snorted from within the darkness.

The four Undead turned to the source with snarls and growls, preparing to take on a fifth combatant. Out from the concealing darkness, a new Undead stepped forward. This one had thick muscled arms with metal studs wrapped around its forearms. Its chest was covered in black fur which had a dash of silver in it. Around its waist was the common marker of the Undead, the ornate belt which they all wore. Its legs seemed to be covered in black metallic armor which caught even in the low light while its feet were large with only three toes. Its head sported three white ponytails, one going down its back and another two from the sides of its head. Its face was covered with a metallic black mask which had a small trunk-like nose, but the most eye-catching feature was the ruby-like eyes that were visible behind the mask.

This was the Category 10 of Clubs, the Tapir Undead otherwise known as Remote Tapir.

The four other Undead in the building snarled and made threatening gestures, but the Tapir Undead remained where it stood. Deciding to take the initiative, the four Undead began charging at the Tapir Undead, wishing to be the first to strike a blow against the interloper. As they charged, the Tapir Undead's eyes began to glow in crimson light before they shot out a field of red energy. The crimson power cloaked the four Undead and made them come to a stop. Their charge halted, the four Undead seemed to become almost…docile and obedient.

"_Good,_" the voice from the shadows spoke in approval.

In the darkness, three purple eyes began to shine brightly.

* * *

><p>AN: A new Garren rises and it seems that the Senshi have caught on to the function of the cards Not good.


	9. Turn 9

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 9: Saturn Takes A Stand! The Senshi of Silence Revolts!**

As promised, Rubeus got another edition of The Radical ready for printing. Of course, he spent a good portion of it explaining how Garren made his 'dramatic' entrance to save the day. He even mentioned how there was a standoff between the Riders and the Senshi of Uranus and Neptune. A point of interest was people sending emails through the website, asking questions about the Riders and the Undead. Naturally a few of them had mean things to say, calling the Riders harbingers of chaos and such, but others had a number of positive things. Some of them were even thanking the Riders for saving their lives or the lives of loved ones.

"It's good to be us," Rubeus grinned as he and his friends read posts on the Radical website.

"The Riders are actually becoming popular," Amethyst smiled. "This is great! People are sure to see that you guys are heroes now!"

"We aren't fighting Undead to be famous though," Kyle commented.

"Yeah, but it would still be nice to be appreciated though," the purple-haired girl shrugged.

"We can't allow ourselves to become complacent though," Safir commented. "There is still one more Category Ace out there and the Royal-class Undead remain as well, not to mention the lower class Undead. If what Kyle told us is accurate, then the Ace of Clubs will be the most powerful Undead we'll ever face. I doubt the Royal-class Undead will be pushovers either."

"Way to ruin the mood," Rubeus snorted with a frown.

"Just saying it like it is," Safir shrugged.

"What's worse is that the Senshi and therefore the Queen have gotten wise to the Rouze Cards," Demand added. "They know we seal the Undead inside of them and now know for a fact that we get stronger for every Undead we seal inside of them. Knowing how they are about things outside of order, they'll want to destroy the cards or lock them away for good."

"Or try to harness the power in them," Esmeraude snorted.

"Kind of ironic to call the Undead chaotic when they're actually pretty aligned with order," Kyle shrugged. All eyes suddenly snapped to him, trying to figure out what he was talking about. Seeing the curious glances of his friends, Kyle decided to explain. "Think about it. I mean, the Undead were made by Kami Himself and were made to fight. They do just that. They follow every rule in which they were born to follow. Survival of the fittest. That's the only law which means anything and the only one they follow. It's a law of creation."

"Hmmm. A good argument in philosophy," Safir nodded. "Too bad most people in this city won't touch it with a ten foot pole though. It would be considered too radical of an idea to really pursue."

"Just proving that the pursuit of perfection is what advances society rather than the perfection itself," Demand snickered.

* * *

><p>Inside of the Crystal Palace, Neo Queen Serenity, her husband, and her Senshi were all having a meeting inside of one of the several diplomatic meetings rooms instead of the throne room as repairs were being made on the castle. The rampage that the Ace of Diamonds went through on the castle was still being repaired. The Crystal Guards who had been killed by the Undead were also put to rest with full honors in their sacrifice for the crown. In all, the mood in the castle was more than a little down.<p>

"So a third Rider has now appeared," Serenity sighed as she heard Uranus and Neptune's report. "It also confirms Mercury's theory that these cards which they use are in fact the same ones which they seal the monsters into. By sealing the one that attacked the castle, they had gained a third ally against these monsters."

"And us," Pluto commented with a frown.

"Perhaps," Serenity nodded. "So another one of the monsters went on the rampage in another public place. How many people were affected?"

"About fifty or so, the total hasn't been counted yet," Jupiter replied with a sad frown as she read how many people had been hurt or killed by the Armadillo Undead. "About a quarter of those people are dead. This monster didn't seem to have wonderful accuracy with its weapons. It seemed to have shot at anything that moved. It only stopped when the Rider known as Garren came and challenged it."

"Hmmm," Saturn pondered as an idea hit her. "You know, back when the princess and I traveled through the city and met that lizard monster; it seemed to lose interest in attacking people when we wouldn't run away from it. Instead it made threatening motions as if trying to scare us. I think it thought we were challenging it."

"Now that I think of it," Venus spoke up. "When that rhino monster appeared, when Mars, Jupiter, and I transformed to fight it, it seemed to lose interest in the people and instead focused on us. Well, until the Riders appeared anyway."

"I also recall what that monster said when it attacked the parade," Serenity nodded. "It said that they fight and kill because they can. Maybe…maybe they are searching for powerful opponents to fight against."

"Well, then we should be on our guard then," Sailor Mars nodded. "After all we are the strongest fighters in the city. If her majesty's theory about these monsters searching for powerful opponents is true, then those monsters will be going after us."

"However, should they not find strong opponents," King Endymion spoke up. "Then these creatures will be more than satisfied with going on their little rampages and killing as many innocent people as they can. If Usako's theory is correct, then they likely do this to try and root out the powerful fighters which may be hiding within the midst of the people."

"But there are no fighters in the civilians," Mercury spoke up. "Our laws ensure that the people have no fear of any violence or similar threats. Why should any of them feel the need to become strong like a fighter?

"The Riders did," Saturn spoke. "They recognized the Undead for what they were and fought back. I've seen for myself, they want to save as many people as they can. They don't seem to mind fighting on the level of the Undead so long as innocent lives are saved."

"Nonsense," Serenity sighed. "Our ways save just as many lives. It is a tried and true method which has served us well. I admit that these creatures seem to have a magical resistance to them, but we can overcome that. We just need stronger spells."

'_You've been saying that over and over though,_' Saturn thought to herself sourly. '_You haven't done anything about it though._'

* * *

><p>"Heh, heh, heh, First day on the job and I got one of the Undead already!" Rubeus grinned as he waved the Bullet Armadillo card between his fingers. It had been three days since the battle with the previous Undead and Rubeus hadn't stopped bragging about it. It wasn't that he was arrogant about it, but it was more like he was proud of himself and overjoyed that he could finally get involved in the action. Not that it made his bragging more bearable.<p>

"Okay, we get it. You're proud of yourself," Esmeraude sighed as she palmed her face. "Now just shut up so we can enjoy ourselves, will you?"

"Hnnn," Rubeus huffed while leaning back in his seat. "You don't have to be rude about it."

The group of friends was in one of their usual hangout spots. This time it was the courtyard of their school. All of them were working on homework and chatting about some things of interest. Of course, Kyle was only working on his half-heartedly. Having gone through the classes while downloading the information into his mind, he was able to answer everything correctly and write detailed essays easily. While the Kamen Rider was thankful to have his schoolwork be so easy to complete, it still felt like he was being programmed for his career rather than actually learning one.

"Hey, Kyle!"

"What? Huh?" Kyle looked up to see Amethyst staring at him.

"You spaced out," she told him. "What's on your mind?"

"Well…just stuff."

"What kind of stuff?"

"Well, the Senshi are gunning for us more and more," said Kyle. "What if they find out who we really are? I don't care about what happens to me but what about you guys? I dragged you all into this mess."

"Relax, buddy," said Rubeus. "We won't get caught."

"I hope you're right," said Kyle.

"So how many Undead do we have sealed now?" asked Amethyst.

"Um…lemme see," Kyle frowned as he began to do a mental tally, happy for the break. "Three aces, human, lizard, armadillo, bat, rhino, plant, hammerhead, the four elementals…that should be fourteen out of the fifty four unless I miss my guess."

"That many already?" asked Safir with a raised eyebrow.

"The tip of the iceberg," Esmeraude sighed. "And there are still the higher categories to consider too."

"There's a comforting thought," Rubeus grunted. "Still, we can take them all on. We've got the guts, skill, and power for it!"

"Hopefully we'll have enough to take on the Category Ace of Clubs," Kyle frowned. "He isn't a pushover. Not in any stretch of the word."

"Okay, so what makes the Ace of Clubs so bad?" asked Topazu. "I mean, sure he the strongest next to the Ace of Hearts and the Joker, but you make it sound like he could do a lot more."

"If the Ace isn't sealed properly, the Undead can take possession of the person who is using it in conjunction with a Rider System," Kyle answered, quite familiar with Mutsuki's plight.

"…it can do that?" asked Safir.

"Since it willingly threw its first fight, it had lots of energy left to manipulate the last wielder of Leangle from within his seal," Kyle explained. "The last user had a weak will, not finding much worth in himself and being easy prey. It wasn't until the King and Queen of Clubs worked together to expel the Ace was he free. Then he had to fight the Ace himself. He managed to beat it and seal it properly, mastering its power."

"Wow," Rubeus blinked. "So, will we have to go through that too?"

"Hopefully not," Kyle answered. "If we can defeat the Ace properly, and make sure it stays down, then there's nothing to fear."

"I hope you're right," Esmeraude shivered.

* * *

><p>In one of the outdoor concert area which Cystal Tokyo was proud of, there were people all enjoying the scenery and good weather. Some people were even putting on small performances with musical instruments or just painting portraits of their friends and surroundings. It was a heartening sight to see for those who pursued an artistic lifestyle.<p>

However that quickly changed…

Leaping onto the scene from their hiding places, four grotesque monsters made their appearance. They didn't even try to make demands before attacking the visitors to the area, attacking them without mercy or even a simple warning. Many ran for their lives, leaving several of their friends behind in the process. Others begged for mercy as they were captured, but received none.

The first of the four monsters was thin with black leather armor over its chest, but left green flesh uncovered on the abdomen. Its arms were likewise green while its legs were covered in black with spikes coming from its calves. Locust-like wings sprouted from its back while its face was covered in a black metallic mask which sported insect features, including antennae. This was the Category 5 of Spades, Locust Undead.

The second monster was predominately red and green with black mixed in. Its right shoulder was covered in a large red shell like the kind found in the ocean. Its arm was black while its hand was green, but its wrist was covered in more red seashell, this one spiraling out to a point like a sword. Its left shoulder and some of its torso was covered in green tubular protrusions like a sea snail's eye stalks. Its left arm was mainly green and ending in long green fingers. The rest of its body was black with splashes of red shall and barnacles covering it. Its head was hidden beneath a large red seashell helmet which only revealed a little of its black face. This was the 5 of Hearts, the Shell Undead.

Third was a purple-skinned monster that was covered in scales. Its torso was covered in black armor which has several metal studs on it. Its arms were wrapped in black straps with the more loose ones dangling limply. Its legs were covered in black metal which had some of the purple skin peeking out. Its neck was long, ending in a serpentine head and connected with a purple hood. A skull-like design was on the back, making it look deadlier. This was the 5 of Clubs, the Cobra Undead.

Lastly was a large muscular creature with a white chest and dark blue skin on its arms. Its shoulders were covers in large black bone-like shoulder pads and its arms were covered in thick gauntlets which seemed almost like whale skulls. Its legs were muscles and fitted with black leggings covered in barnacles. Finally its head was covered in a black mask which seemed to look almost rubbery. There were not many features save for the eye sockets with blue eyes in the centre of them and the large mouth. This was the 5 of Diamonds, the Whale Undead.

The four Undead attacked wildly, aiming for maximum carnage. They crushed anyone in their path as they targeted every human they could see. No one would escape their wrath. The Cobra Undead even took pleasure as it spat its venom at the stragglers, watching as they melted and screamed in agonizing pain. The Whale Undead just settled with crushing the humans with its fists. The Locust Undead was fast as it leapt after its victims and then using its kicks to break their necks, killing them instantly. The Shell Undead caught a few humans in its grasp before impaling them with its sword arm.

The Undead seemed to be enjoying themselves, like this was a game for them. The name of the game was 'Kill All Humans'.

And watching from the distance was a figure who witnessed the carnage in glee. He was hoping for something to happen and this was the best way to lure its prey over.

* * *

><p>Kyle suddenly grunted as he held his head. His friends looked at him in concern. "Kyle, what's wrong?" asked Amethyst.<p>

"We have to move, now!" Kyle shouted. "I sense four Undead!"

"Well, what are we waiting for?" Rubeus said eagerly. "Let's go and seal some Undead!"

"Right!" agreed Demand. "Kyle, lead the way!"

"Right, time to go!" Kyle and his fellow Riders ran to where their bikes were.

* * *

><p>The three Riders arrived at the scene to see the remains of the carnage. Dead bodies in various states were sprawled all over the ground. Some looked crushed, impaled, melted and even tore in half as well as having their necks broken. Kyle saw the four Undead. It was like they were waiting.<p>

"Let's go, guys!" said Kyle as he summoned his Chalice Belt. "Henshin!"

Demand and Rubeus strapped on their own Rider Buckles as well after sliding in the cards. "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

"**Turn Up!**"

Kyle's body quickly morphed into the form of Kamen Rider Chalice, already gripping his Chalice Arrow. Demand and Rubeus flipped the front panels of their belts, sending out projections of their cards. Dashing through the cards, they emerged as Blade and Rubeus.

"_Ikuzo!_" Chalice ordered, beginning the charge against the four Undead.

Chalice immediately targeted the Shell Undead, blocking its sword arm before punching at it, forcing it stumble. Grabbing it by the shoulders, a well-placed shove knocked it down the stone stairs of the outdoor concert hall, making for a much easier target than it was before.

Dashing down the stairs after it, Chalice leaped the remaining distance and aimed to cleave the Undead in two. Still, the Shell Undead managed to recover quickly and stab out with its blade, getting Chalice in the chest and knocking him back onto the stone seating. Groaning from the pain in his chest and in his back, Chalice scrambled to his feet, kneeling slightly as he eyed the already standing Shell Undead.

Something was bothering Chalice about this Undead. It was an ocean creature so why was it so far away from a source of water? It held the advantage in that type of terrain rather than on dry land like some of the other Undead did. Something wasn't right. The Undead may have been creatures of instinct for the most part, but they knew fighting like no one's business. To fight on their opponent's terms meant that something was wrong. This was starting to remind him of the time he had to fight all four of the Category 6 Undead by himself. Now he knew the Ace of Spades was the one who recruited them, but he was still lucky to emerge alive from that scuffle. If this was following the same pattern, then was one of the high-class Undead directing the movements of these Undead too.

Meanwhile, Blade had picked out the Locust Undead as his target and was attempting to fight it to the best of his ability. However, the 5 of Spades was proving agile as it leaped over several of the attacks before retaliating with kicks which Blade could have sworn almost broke his bones when they managed to get a direct hit on his arms and legs. What Blade did not know was that the Locust Undead's kicks were quite capable of breaking bones when they had a direct hit. The people whom the Undead had kicked were all dead examples of how powerful its legs were.

One such kick caught Blade in the torso, knocking him off his feet and crashing just before the stage of the concert hall. Scrambling to get to his feet while ignoring the pain, Blade kept his eyes on the Locust Undead, knowing that losing sight of your opponent was an invitation to disaster, even death. His suit may prevent the Undead from dealing bone-breaking attacks to their fullest, but they still hurt and pain was something that could cripple people as much as any injury could. Gritting his teeth, Blade held out his sword and made another charge.

Up on the stage, Garren was dealing with both the Cobra and the Whale Undead. It was fortunate that he had a gun as a main weapon since it allowed him to keep both Undead at a distance with the bullets colliding with their bodies. Sparks flew from the impacts as Garren kept up his barrage of bullets. He wasn't sure why he never ran out of rounds, but he wasn't complaining. Kyle had theorized that the gun didn't use bullets, but energy bolts which were created from the power of the Ace of Diamonds. Either way, Garren didn't care since it just meant he could stay in the fight. To that end, he kept up the firefight.

However, the Cobra Undead wasn't just a short-range fighter. Rearing its head back, it spat a glob of venom out at Garren. The Rider managed to dodge, watching as how the venom at a hole in the side of the amphitheatre, but he didn't get to admire it for very long before the Whale Undead came at him, swinging with its club-like arms. It managed to strike Garren in the torso, sending him skidding across the stage floor before coming to a stop with a groan. This wasn't anything like fighting the Armadillo Undead. If he only knew how much higher these Undead were than his first sealing then he might have had a clue about how deep he was in.

All three Riders were battling hard, aiming to defeat and seal these four Undead before any more people were killed by their rampaging. However, they were noticeably outnumbered four to three and despite the advantages they had over regular humans, they were still putting all of their effort into it. What the Riders didn't know was that they were being watched. Standing at the back of the amphitheatre were four figures whom Crystal Tokyo nearly worshipped. They were hailed for their power as the Senshi of Uranus, Neptune, Pluto, and Saturn. No one dared defy them since it meant defying the queen and people considered her a goddess anyway.

"It's one thing to see them in recordings, but something else to see them in action," Sailor Pluto frowned as she watched the Riders fight the Undead.

"Vulgar," Neptune grimaced.

"Well, if we're lucky then when they beat these monsters they'll be too tired to resist so we can arrest them and confiscate those cards of theirs," Uranus sighed, crossing her arms. "Leaving them free to run around is as a bad as doing nothing against those monsters."

Saturn grimaced, gripping her Silence Glaive for security. The reason the Senshi weren't actively hunting the Undead was because they had no clue how to find them. Ami tried scanning for energy signatures like they would Youma, but nothing ever came of it. The only way they even knew an Undead was attacking was because of the emergency calls which civilians would place to try and get help. Magic wasn't as effective against the Undead as it was for Youma, despite many of the Senshi insisting that they were just underestimating how strong the Undead were. Saturn on the other hand was beginning to wonder if magic could work on an Undead at all. Several of the battle the Senshi had with them hinted at that, but the others just kept insisting that they didn't make their spells strong enough. It was beginning to sound like a broken record to Saturn, even if she was too soft spoken to say it. Undead would attack, Senshi fight back, Senshi fail, Riders come, Riders win, Senshi look bad. Not even the Queen herself seemed capable of beating one, only managing to blind it as she used her purification magic on both Riders and the Undead that attacked the palace. Used it…and failed.

A cry from Garren caught her attention, seeing him struck in the chest by the Cobra Undead's venom, making a small explosion of sparks. The Whale Undead capitalized on this and started beating on Garren with his large arms, dealing more damage to the diamond Rider.

"Ow. That had to hurt," Uranus grimaced after one particularly hard hit was placed on Garren's face. "If he managed to fight the proper way then maybe he wouldn't be in this mess."

"Undoubtedly," Pluto nodded.

Saturn flinched at the blow, gripping her glaive even tighter than before. She hated seeing this happen. Why were the Senshi and the Riders at odds with each other? Just because the Riders didn't conform to the society? Granted, it was the happiest place she knew of, but it didn't mean everyone had to share her opinion. Radicals certainly didn't but Saturn didn't bear them any grudge. They were allowed to think what they wanted. Yet, somehow the other Senshi seemed to take it as an insult that there were people who didn't like Crystal Tokyo, especially with the enemies and sacrifices they made to help it come to being. Their innocence, relationships, family, all of it was given up so they could reach a point where no one would have to lose those things.

Still, Saturn just couldn't stand by and let people who protected others be battered around by the enemy simply because they didn't conform to Serenity's doctrine.

"Hotaru?" asked Neptune, seeing her adopted daughter's face contort at the sight of the battle.

Rather than answering her adopted mother, Saturn dashed down the amphitheatre stairs, eyes trained on the battle on the stage. Despite outcries from her adopted parents, Saturn continued her charge. Swerving past Chalice and the Shell Undead, she leaped over Blade and the Locust Undead before landing on the stage. Both the Whale Undead and the Cobra Undead were slowly advancing on a downed Garren. Gripping her glaive, Saturn charged at the monsters' backs.

'_If magic doesn't work,_' she thought, pumping herself up for the crime she was about to commit. '_Then maybe THIS will!_'

With a swing, Saturn committed the ultimate taboo, and struck the Cobra and Whale Undead in the back with her Silence Glaive. Sparks flew as the weapon collided with the thick hide of both monsters, making them screech out in pain. The force behind the hit sent the Whale and Cobra Undead stumbling to the ground, writhing from the pain in their backs. Garren just stared dumbly at the two Undead and back at Saturn.

"Are you okay?" Sailor Saturn asked the red gunman.

"Uh...Yeah, thanks," Garren said as he got up to his feet.

"You're welcome," she nodded. "Now, come on! We have to defeat these creatures!"

Chalice and Blade were surprised to see the Senshi of Silence aiding them but weren't complaining at all. She was evening the odds and that was something that was a huge help. Returning to their own fights, they put double the effort into bringing the Undead down.

The Cobra Undead was back on its feet first before it charged with an angry hiss. Saturn dodged its first swipe as she twirled her glaive around, missing the monster's chest. While she did not know the battle arts of her Glaive beyond magic, she did know gymnastic routines with batons. She could just apply the same movements with the fight, keeping in mind that one end of her staff was bladed. The Cobra Undead certainly wasn't impressed as it fired more globs of its acidic venom at her. Saturn quickly began moving with grace, slicing the globs with her Glaive and letting the remains splatter against the ground. The venom dripped off the metal of the Silence Glaive, but did not corrode the magically enchanted steel.

The Cobra Undead hissed again before charging at the youngest Senshi. Swiping at her with its claws, it attempted to release her from her mortal coil. Saturn managed to defend herself though. Blocking blows with the Silence Glaice, she twisted around a forward swipe and swung her weapon in a wide arc, catching the Undead in the side. The blade even managed to draw blood, spattering the green substance across the stage floor. The Cobra Undead groaned and backed away to get some space. However, it wasn't going on the defensive. Rearing its head back, it lunged forward as if going to make a headbutt. However, much to Saturn's surprise, its neck stretched, letting the Undead's face come at her on an elongated neck.

"Wah!" the Senshi cried, ducking underneath the attack. The Cobra Undead's head went past her and crashed into the wall, but the Undead itself showed no real pain from the attack. However, its neack was quickly retracting and bringing its head back as well. Once it did, Saturn had no doubt that the monster would attack her again. Gritting her teeth, she ran towards the monster's body, aiming for a good strike to the torso with hope that it would be able to finish the monster off. As she ran closer, her blade began to hum with purple power. Since Saturn would channel her magic through her glaive, whenever she would do battle, her energy would gather in her weapon until she invoked it. This time, her power was pooling into her weapon by the force of her will and desire to see the Cobra Undead defeated. Reaching the Cobra Undead's body before its neck could fully settle back into place, she brought her weapon down hard.

"Yaah!" she cried, slashing the monster across the chest with a purple afterglow following her weapon. She had to shield her eyes from the literal explosion of smoking sparks which fell from the impact point. The Cobra Undead shrieked in pain stumbling backwards with its head slightly askew from its loose neck muscles before falling backwards flat onto the stage. Saturn shrieked in fright as the monster then seemed to explode, releasing all of its energy. When the flames died down, she saw the blackened form of the Cobra Undead groaning on the stage floor. Its buckle, which looked like one snake eating the tail of another that was eating its own with U and D in the centre, had snapped open to reveal a purple 5 in the centre with clover-like markings on the top and bottom.

Kicking the Shell Undead away, Chalice saw Saturn standing above the defeated Cobra Undead. Reaching to the case on his side, he drew one of his Proper Blank cards. "_Sailor Saturn! Catch!_" he called out before throwing the blank Rouze Card to the stunned Senshi.

Saturn looked up and saw the card coming, easily catching it. Looking at its odd imagery, she recalled when she saw Blade fighting the Lizard Undead. Didn't he use a card to seal the monster before? Looking at the downed Cobra Undead, she decided that it couldn't hurt to try. Taking aim, she tossed the card at the monster. At first she thought that it wouldn't be able to make the distance, but the card seemed to fly by itself as it headed for the Cobra Undead before attaching to its chest. Saturn watched in intrigue as the Undead turned to green energy and was drawing inside the card slowly at first, but then quickly before it vanished in a flash. The card hung in the air for a moment before flying back into Saturn's hand, revealing an image of a cobra with fangs on its hood. Words underneath the picture called it the Bite Cobra.

The young Senshi was snapped out of her admiration of the card when a cry from Blade signaled his flying crash onto the stage. Looking up, Saturn gasped as she saw Blade landing on the stage near her feet. The spade Rider groaned, but managed to get to his feet as the Locust Undead leaped onto the stage, ready for more. Saturn gripped her Glaive, ready to fight again even if her nerves were beginning to grow weary from it all. As she did, Blade noticed that she had the Bite Cobra in her hands.

"Wait a sec," he muttered, recalling some of the lessons Kyle had put him and Rubeus through after they became Riders. Simply because they were styled after a certain suit didn't mean they were limited to it. Seeing the Bite Cobra reminded him of a possible combo in the clubs suit which he already had half of. Recalling this, he plucked the Bite Cobra out of Saturn's hand. "Need to use this!"

Opening the panels in his rouser, Blade plucked the Blizzard Polar out before shutting the panels. Quickly bringing the cards to his Rouzer, he slashed them through.

"**Blizzard! Bite!**" the Blay Rouzer called before the images of the cards appeared and were absorbed into Blade's chest armor. "**Blizzard Crash!**"

The Locust Undead stopped for a moment, seeing something had changed about its opponent. However, Blade only needed that moment of hesitation to move. Leaping into the air, he pointed his sword at the Locust Undead, unleashing a stream of sub-zero wind and snow. The Locust Undead was caught by surprise as it was quickly encased in ice, but Blade wasn't finished yet. Coming down, he unleashed a punishing scissor kick which collided with the Locust Undead's head and shattered its icy prison. A pained roar erupted from its mouth as it rolled across the stone stage littered with ice chips before finally exploding. Blade landed lightly on his feet, hearing the telltale snap of the Undead's buckle, signaling its defeat. Drawing a Proper Blank from his sword, he flicked it into the flames surrounding the Undead, absorbing the creature before the card came back in a flash of light. Blade caught it easily, seeing a locust with spring-loaded legs on the front and a name, Kick Locust.

From his fight with the Whale Undead, Garren witnessed his ally seal his opponent. Grunting, he punched his Undead across the face before kicking it away, "Well, can't let them show me up, now can I?" Opening the panels in his gun, he drew Fire Fly and Bullet Armadillo. Bringing them to his weapon, he slashed them through.

"**Bullet! Fire!**" the Rouzer called as the images of the two cards appeared and were absorbed into the rouser. "**Burning Shot!**"

Dashing towards the Whale Undead, Garren dodged another one of its strikes before burying the barrel of his Rouzer into its stomach. Smirking, he pulled the trigger, unleashing several flaming bullets which dug into the Undead's hide, making it bellow in pain. It stumbled backwards, trying to get out of the way, but the flaming barrage made it fly backwards from the numerous impacts. Garren snickered again before raising his aim slightly and taking one last shot. The flaming bullet shot out like the others before colliding with the Whale Undead's head. The monster's head reared back as if kicked before it fell to the ground, vanishing in another sea of flames. Satisfied, he drew a Proper Blank before throwing it at the Whale Undead, watching it turn to green energy before being absorbed. Catching the card on the rebound, he saw it was called Drop Whale and had the image of a hunchback whale with a hammer like nose fitting.

"_Looks like I was slowest today,_" Chalice chuckled, noticing the defeat of the two Undead over the shoulder of his own opponent. "_Better wrap this up then._"

Leaping over a swipe from the Shell Undead, Chalice lashed out with his weapon and caught the Undead in the side of the head. The kaijin squealed in pain and stumbled backwards, clutching its face to try and deal with whatever damage it took. Being immortal didn't mean one was immune to pain or injury. Still, it gave Chalice the opening he needed as he attached his buckle to his Chalice Arrow before drawing two cards and slashing them through.

"**Tornado! Chop!**" the Rouzer called as Chalice absorbed the two cards. "**Spinning Wave!**"

The Shell Undead hisses, managing to put aside its pain for now before charging at the heart Rider to end him once and for all. Chalice simply stayed put, letting the wind circle around him as the Undead drew closer. It lashed out once close enough, but Chalice dodged and retaliated with a brutal chop to the monsters abdomen, making it fly into the stone seating with a cry of pain. The monster then released its energy in a burst of flames, allowing its buckle to snap open and signal its defeat.

"_Defeated by the same tactic twice,_" Chalice commented as he drew a Proper Blank, recalling how the shell Undead was beaten in the series. "_Pretty lame if you ask me._" Tossing the card, he watched the Shell Undead vanish into it before the card flew back into his hand. The card now depicted a metal shell with a large drill coming out of its opening, labeled the Drill Shell and the Five of Hearts.

Sliding the card into his case, Chalice headed for the stage where his fellow Riders and Saturn were in attendance. The Senshi of Saturn was gripping her Glaive nervously. If she was nervous because of the Riders near her or because she had broken one of Serenity's laws, it was hard to be certain. Chalice, seeing that the girl was nervous, tried to be non-threatening, but in his armor it was hard to look like anything but a threat.

"_Good job,_" Chalice nodded to the nervous Saturn. "_It's good to see that one of the Senshi are willing to do their jobs right._"

"Those two were double teaming me pretty bad," Garren nodded as he rubbed his chest. "Not that I couldn't have handled it eventually, but the help is appreciated just the same."

"I'll bet," Blade nodded before looking up at the back of the amphitheatre seats where Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto were watching. Their postures spoke of shock, disappointment, anger, and perhaps a little bit of betrayal. No doubt Saturn was going to receive an earful for her actions against the Undead. He did not envy being in her shoes right now. Chalice and Garren likewise looked up to see the Senshi staring down at them. They had watched the whole battle unfold, not once checking on the bodies of the fallen, just watching the Riders fight against the Undead.

"_Let's go guys. I don't want to end up bickering with them again,_" Chalice sighed, gesturing to his allies before they headed towards another exit. Stopping in mid-stride, he turned back to Saturn. "_Hotaru, no matter what anyone says, know that you acted like a true Senshi today. Don't let anyone convince you otherwise._"

Nodding to the teenage Senshi, Chalice and his comrades left the amphitheatre, leaving Saturn to face the shocked/upset/disappointed faces of her adopted family.

* * *

><p>AN: Oh ho! It seems that the fanaticism of the other Senshi hasn't reached as far as Saturn! could this mean there is hope for them yet?


	10. Turn 10

**I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. I have written this solely because I found it an interesting idea and apparently so have other people. Please enjoy. If you don't like it, please don't flame me. I'm not forcing you to read this.**

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**TURN 10: A Trap is Set! The Spider's Web!**

As with any Undead attack, The Radical put out another edition, telling about the exploits of the Riders and the Undead which they defeat. However, it was particularly hard on the Outers save for Saturn, whom it gave glowing reviews. They claimed that out of all of the Senshi, Saturn was the only one who acted truly for the people rather than for the Queen. People were being hurt by the monsters and the ones who fought them needed help so she jumped in. She even defeated an Undead by herself, something not even Queen Serenity could boast about. However, she was the only Senshi who had gotten such praise. The remaining Outers were slammed rather hard for their reluctance to help. In the words of the radical paper, they witnessed the whole fight and did nothing. They just stood on their perch, high above the concerns of the lesser folk and just watched it happen as if it didn't concern them. They were only there to probably try to harass the Riders again about how they break the law. The last statement was probably one of the most profound as well.

_Obviously the standards of becoming a Senshi have dipped somewhat if all one needs to do is stand around and look pretty no matter what, even if the people they have been sworn to protect are being killed off._

* * *

><p>"Wow, Hotaru!" Usa was impressed. "You actually fought one without magic?"<p>

"Not exactly," an embarrassed Hotaru responded. "I did add some magic to my strikes but the Undead seem to fall down easily when you use physical attacks."

While Usa was amazed to hear that her best friend had beaten an Undead, no one else among the Senshi were. They were shocked and downright horrified that Hotaru had used physical violence to fight an Undead. Really, they were acting like she was a little kid who said a dirty word during an extravagant party. Serenity was sorely disappointed in her, not to mention her adopted family. Despite it being in the protection of Crystal Tokyo, Hotaru was given a punishment for her 'crime'. Guard duty on Usa for a week. A slap on the wrist to be sure, but Hotaru felt that she didn't have much of a choice in the situation.

Haruka had been pretty angry about what happened. She couldn't believe her adopted daughter would do such a radical and violent thing. Michiru was disappointed in her daughter as well, almost in shock at what Hotaru had done. Setsuna…she just talked in her usual tone of voice on how such things were just not permitted in Crystal Tokyo and how it wasn't proper for a Senshi to use physical violence when they had their magic. Frankly, Hotaru could have argued that their magic just wasn't working on the Undead, but her adoptive parents weren't in a debating mood and she was in deep enough trouble as it was. Part of their bad mood was because of that radical newspaper that kept on coming out talked about them in a most derogatory way. Many of the Senshi were insulted at being insinuated as nothing more than pretty faces who cared more for their appearances than they did their people. Hotaru was just glad her family didn't use her recent actions as an outlet for their outrage.

"I still think it's unfair that you got grounded," Usa frowned.

"It's the price to pay for doing the right thing," said Hotaru. "At least more of those creatures are going down. Have you spoken to your parents about the Riders?"

"I did, but Mama won't listen. She still thinks that the Riders are doing it wrong." Usa sighed. What had happened to her mother? Had Crystal Tokyo warped her? The Sailor Moon and Senshi she knew in the past weren't shy about using physical force on enemies. Jupiter used to be a martial artist and all the Uranus also used to be a formidable fighter who fought with her fists.

Had all this peace changed them for the worse?

* * *

><p>Kyle was currently in his room, looking over the Heart suit Undead which had been sealed so far. After doing a check with the others, it was determined that all four of them were Category 5 Undead. All of them had kick attributes much like the Category 6 were elemental. What were the odds that all four of them would be in a group together and attacking at the same time? Not bloody likely. Like the elemental Undead, someone was pulling the strings of these four. The question was, who was it? There were three aces sealed already, but that just left the majority of the high class Undead who were able to control the lower classes.<p>

"This must be how Kenzaki and the others felt," Kyle muttered as he rubbed his forehead. Trying to figure out where the Undead were hiding out was stressful. Guessing their movements, even more so.

It was almost a relief when a knock came to the door.

"Coming," Kyle called out before he headed to the door. Taking a moment to undo the lock, he opened the door to find Amethyst smiling hopefully at him. "Amethyst? What can I do for you?"

"Take me out on a date tonight," Amethyst answered bluntly.

"…what?" Kyle blinked.

"Well, you do need some rest after facing those four Undead," Amethyst reasoned. "Nii-sama has Nee-sama and Rubeus likes to go to underground parties to relax. I thought we could go out together and do something fun."

It all sounded like a reasonable request to be sure. Of course, what Kyle didn't know was that that the guidelines the Love Ministry promoted even had time lengths for prospective partners to get to know one another before official dating. Ever since Kyle confided his identity as Chalice, Amethyst had been counting off the days as in accordance to the love ministry. Of course, Kyle hadn't been exactly forthcoming with events and such so that he and Amethyst could get to know one another better, so Amethyst decided to start the dating process and get to know the Kamen Rider better at the same time.

"Well, uh," Kyle mumbled. He really didn't have too much experience with dating.

"Come on! I promise it will be fun!" Amethyst insisted.

"Ummm," Kyle sputtered.

* * *

><p>"So what did you say" asked Demand.<p>

"I said yes, what do you think?" Kyle frowned. "A girl just comes up to your door of all places and asks for a date? I was kind of stunned so I just nodded and suddenly she was off like a rocket. I think she was cheering or something, but it was too high-pitched for me to really understand."

"That's our Amethyst," Safir nodded.

It was later in the day, almost evening, and the boys had convened together to talk since Kyle needed to figure out what he was going to do. Personally, the three young men had seen it coming a mile away. Amethyst wasn't a very subtle person by nature and the only reason she hadn't all but stamped her name on Kyle's forehead was because of her fascination with the Love Ministry guidelines. Frankly, the boys thought it was a load of crock since one just can't guide love the way they want. In fact, they believed it even less when Kyle had reported that Minako Aino A.K.A. Sailor Venus, never had a stable relationship her entire life. Well, he insisted that she hadn't and they were inclined to believe it if she felt that the guidelines were the one true way to find love.

"So what's the problem then?" asked Rubeus.

"I don't have a freaking clue what to do on a date in this city!" Kyle cried. "I didn't even think she was seriously interested in me. I mean, sure she asked if I was interested on the day we first met, but I figured it was because of those love guidelines or something."

"Oh, she's serious," Demand chuckled. "The reason she brought you to meet us was because she'd hoped we would approve of you. Since we all live on our own, she had to get approval from us rather than her parents."

"Huh?" Kyle blinked.

"Actually she's been rather frustrated as of late," Safir added. "Topazu tells me that she has been giving off all the signs that she's interested and looking to become an actual couple in hopes of a relationship. However, you've been pointedly ignoring those signs. She's been wondering if you're interested in her at all."

"But I don't even know those signs," Kyle grimaced.

"Yeah, I think she figured that out which is why she decided to go for a date now," Rubeus shrugged.

"Why am I always the last one to know these things?" asked Kyle, groaning into his hands.

"Just you I guess," Demand shrugged. "Still, it does bring a question. Just how do you feel about her?"

"Now that's rather hard to say," Kyle replied. "I first met her in the showers at the gym and saw pretty much everything she had to offer physically. She just waltzed up to me and asked if I was interested in pursuing a relationship with her."

"Still, you liked what you saw, eh?" Rubeus snickered.

"Shut up," Kyle groaned. He saw enough of Amethyst in gym classes to fuel his fantasies for a good long time. Shunting THOSE thoughts to the side, he tried to get back to the conversation. "Anyway, the moment we meet she explains all about those ministry guidelines showing how to find love. It's kind of a turn off to hear someone want to go out with you solely because of what kind of academic goals you may have."

"I hear you. I can't recall the number of times I was trying to get closer to a girl and her first question was 'what are your goals?' and then get shot down when I decided to humor her and answer," Rubeus sighed. "Stupid guidelines."

"Yeah," Kyle sighed. Shaking his head, he decided to move on to other business. "Okay, you guys remember those four Undead we sealed at the amphitheatre? Well, all four of them were Category 5 Undead."

"So?" asked Rubeus.

"When was the last time four common Category Undead teamed up? What made them do it?" Kyle replied.

"A high class Undead made them do it," Safir answered, his eyes widening. "You don't think-?"

"A high class Undead sent all four of them," Kyle nodded. "Either to take us out or to test us. I don't know which, but neither answer is very good for us."

Rubeus commented, "Do you think this will get in the way of your date Amethyst."

"I think we all have more important things to worry about than a date," Kyle deadpanned.

"Hey, this is Amethyst first real date with you, so it's important in its own way."

"But not as important as the Undead appearing and killing people," argued Demand.

"Hey, you and I can take of the Undead if they act up," said Rubeus confidently.

"That's what I'm afraid of," muttered Kyle.

* * *

><p>"It's good to see at least one of those skirts taking things seriously for a change," said Hikaru as she read a copy of The Radical. Since Shima always read them when they were distributed, she decided to see what was so interesting.<p>

"They've forgotten how to adapt to such situations, thinking that they can use the same way to deal with new threats added," Shima.

"Yeah," answered Daichi.

The two Royal Undeads had found the human form of the Elephant Undead sleeping under a tree. As usual, he was lazy and just wasting time doing nothing. Despite his strength and power, he did not actively seek out fights. All he wanted was to be left alone.

He also read The Radical, only so he could keep track of the Undead being defeated and sealed. He let out a yawn.

"It's still worrisome," frowned Shima. "Undead becoming more and more organized."

"The lesser categories aren't that smart. They're just beasts with instincts," said Hikaru.

"So, one of our own is behind all these attacks," stated Shima.

"So what? As long as they leave me alone I got no problem," Daichi said offhandedly.

"Well, I'm not going to let another human suffer," resolved Shima.

"Are you sure you're an Undead?" asked Hikaru.

"Past grudges should be left in the past," said Shima. "The Human Undead won and humanity has flourished since then. What is the point of opening old wounds and trying to attain victory when it is no longer possible? What is the point of revenge? Nothing. It is better to live in peace than to search for conflict."

Daichi yawned, "Right…anyway, I'm going to go and take a nap somewhere."

"Typical," scoffed Hikaru as she watched Daichi go back under his tree, pulling his hat over his face, before he quickly dozed off and started to snore. "He has so much power but he's too lazy to use it. No wonder he lost the first time."

"He fights only to defend himself," Shima reminded. "And when that happens he's nigh unstoppable."

"Human luxuries have corrupted him," said Hikaru but then she shrugged. "Then again, I'm a hypocrite. I kind of like human luxuries."

"You do?" asked Shima.

"They make good food. It's one of the things these humans have done that I can appreciate."

Shima shook his head in amusement. He knew she was thinking about Mutsuki and when he'd shared his food with her.

* * *

><p>It was a good thing that Safir knew of a good place for his and Amethyst's first date or else Kyle would have no idea what to do. As an expert of underground parties, Safir knew about this Radical Nightclub that existed in the city. Its existence was a close guarded secret and its membership was exclusive. The only way to enter was with a password that Safir had supplied him. Kyle waited until it was nightfall before he asked Amethyst out tonight. Checking his clothes, he made sure he looked his best. His fellow Riders gave him some encouraging words and blessed him with good luck but he still didn't feel all that confident. Fighting Undead was easy, but asking a girl out was something he had little experience in.<p>

Standing outside of Amethyst's dorm room, Kyle knocked on the door and when it opened he was greeted by the sight of Amethyst in a stunning violet dress that came down to mid thigh. It had long sleeves but the neck was wide and exposed her shoulders and also the tank top she wore underneath. She also wore what looked like black stockings with black boots.

Kyle just gaped at her as she looked back at him flirtatiously. "So, you're gonna take me out, isn't that right?"

"Yeah," Kyle answered, still stunned. It was like when he first saw Amethyst in her birthday suit except that was then and this was now.

"Well, let's go!" smiled Amethyst as she took his hand and dragged him down the hallway.

* * *

><p>The Spider Undead leered at his victim who it had wrapped up in silk and covered in spiders. Its children needed to feed so it was generous enough to share its meals. Humans, while a proof of their loss, were a good source of meat and these humans didn't even put much of a fight.<p>

Still, the Spider Undead needed more and so left to find more prey. It wasn't just driven by hunger, but driven by vengeance. Killing humans was one way for the Undead to satisfy their desire for revenge but there was just so many of them and this world was teaming with them. Still, that just meant it could kill more and more and more to show these humans why the Undead were at the top of the food chain.

The Spider Undead climbed out of its hideout, sticking to the walls, before shooting out a webline. It then swung through the city, shooting weblines along the way as it continued to swing towards finding a new victim.

* * *

><p>Parking the bike, both Kyle and Amethyst dismounted. According to Safir, the entrance of the club was in an alley. Kyle had followed the directions and hoped he found the right place. He didn't want to mess things up by stopping at the wrong location. The two then entered the alley and found a door in the back wall. Kyle knocked on the steel door a panel slid aside, exposing a thin rectangular slot with a pair of eyes looking straight at Kyle.<p>

"What's the password?" a gruff voice asked on the other side of the door.

Kyle recited the password, "Freedom is the right of all Radicals." The panel slid shut and Kyle could hear several locks being undone before the door was opened. The light was dim as they were let in, only giving enough light to show them that the door was at the top of a set of stairs. The pair descended, Amethyst holding Kyle's hand as they went down. The further down they went, the sound of music could be heard getting louder and louder and finally the two of them stepped into Club Razcalz.

Club Razcalz was a Radical nightclub as it pretty much broke a lot of the Queen's rules. They sold beer at the counter and played loud music. Looking around, Kyle was surprised to see the place packed with people. Lights flashed from the ceiling and even on the dance floor and Amethyst squealed as she dragged Kyle along, "Let's Dance!"

Meanwhile, sitting at the bar was Hikaru Jou who'd come to this club for some entertainment. She'd heard about the place and even learnt the password to enter. She was enjoying a glass of beer and enjoying the atmosphere. She'd had several offers to dance but had declined. She wasn't interested in dancing. Rather, she was interested in a good fight and hoped one would pop up in this place.

Back at the dance floor, Kyle was keeping up with Amethyst, dancing close to the violet haired close. His eyes were completely on her as she moved to the beat of the music and then she turned around and pressed herself against him, causing shivers to run up her spine. Kyle spoke, raising his voice so he could be heard over the music, "Amethyst, you're really good at this!"

"Comes with practice!" she responded. The music then changed to one just for a slow dance. "Ooh, I love this song."

Kyle saw couples dancing close together and saw Amethyst looking up expectantly at him. "Well…I guess it wouldn't hurt." He put his hands around her waist and she looped her arms around his neck. Now she was so close that he could smell her hair. It smelled like lavenders. Amethyst had her eyes closed as she slowly swayed with Kyle.

All of a sudden, the music came to a sudden halt and everyone wondered what was going on when Kyle's Undead Senses bombarded him with images of spiders….Spiders!

As Kyle was suffering the migraine-inducing visions, the other people in the party were rudely interrupted when the DJ was quite suddenly captured in thick white strands of a sticky substance. His sudden scream of terror and his thrashing to escape caused one of the machines he was using to tip over and kill the music. It served to catch everyone's attention just as he was pulled into the darkness of the rafters. Kyle and his date looked up to see the struggling man being pulled up by…something, something with three glowing purple eyes.

"Kyle?" asked Amethyst as she trembled at the sight of the monster. "Is that…?"

"It is," he confirmed. "The Ace of Clubs."

The Spider Undead seemed to hear its name being invoked and leaped down from its position, hanging off of the ceiling. Landing heavily on the dance floor, the Undead revealed itself to the terrified citizens around it. Its left arm and left leg were covered in sick green armour which looked like flesh with orange splotches on it. Its shoulder and wrist had insect legs extending from them, almost twitching by themselves. Its torso looked like it was covered in black leather with three metal studs in a triangular pattern in the very centre. Its right arm and leg were covered in black armour that didn't seem as organic as it's opposite side, but had black insect legs coming from the shoulder just the same. Metal studs decorated the arm and leg, but also the left shin as well, one of the usual identifying markers of its species. It's head was mostly covered by a purple visor with a skeletal mouth being visible. The creepy part was the arachnid legs clutching the top of the helmet like a creepy headdress.

The Category Ace seemed to sniff the air for something, but then found it as it turned its gaze towards Kyle and Amethyst. Pointing its finger at the pair, it spoke, "_I found you…Chalice._"

"Amethyst, get out of here," said Kyle.

"But…"

"Go!" Kyle shouted, pushing her away, "And get the others!" The Spider Undead's level of power was second only to Chalice but Kyle wasn't sure how well he would do against this green-skinned and violet-eyed Undead.

Kyle quickly reached into his pocket and pulled out his Change Mantis card. Around his waist, his Chalice Rouzer appeared. Bringing it to his waist, he prepared to swipe it through. However, the Spider Undead flicked its wrist at him and suddenly, a beam of energy shot down from above and struck the card before he could use it. The sealed card flew from Kyle's hand before the image in the frame leaped from the item, leaving it blank. The image of the praying mantis rose into the air and grew larger before from out of it, Chalice appeared and dropped to the ground in a kneeling position. He looked exactly the same as the Kamen Rider, but his belt was that of an Undead, rather than the one that Kyle would use when he transformed.

"Kyle?" Amethyst's eyes widened as she looked between Kyle and Chalice. She was seeing double.

"Aw man," Kyle grimaced. "Not good."

The Spider Undead chuckled in an unnerving manner, "_You've got that right._" Looking about, the Spider Undead spied the other dancers and partygoers attempting to back away from the scene and towards the first door they could get too…which unfortunately was the one at the front door. "_Now, now, it's rude to leave before the performance is finished!_"

From above, another Undead dropped down to the ground. This time it was blocking the exit. His arms were thickly muscles and his feet were trunk-like with three toes. It had black armor over his shoulders and torso while its face was mostly covered with a black skeletal mask except that an elongated nose hung out. Its eyes burned red like sunset and a mane of hair ran down itsit's back in a ponytail. The torso had dark fur over the pectorals, but the abdomen was covered in more metal studs. Its wrists were covered in thick gauntlets which were partially hidden by bandages but glimpses of green could be seen underneath them.

"Tapir Undead," Kyle guessed. Since he hadn't seen that Undead in the series, he could only guess but since the Mantis Undead had been unsealed he could make an educated estimation.

"_Right,_" the Spider Undead chuckled. "_Now let's get on with the floor show, shall we? The one who hunts our kind down killed by his own power!_"

Chalice snarled and eyed Kyle before lunging towards him. Kyle dodged to the side as the Undead's fist met the grown, causing a crater on impact. Chalice rose to his feet and turned to face Kyle and then rushed at him.

"Kyle!" Aamethyst cried out as she watched Kyle being attacked by his own Category Ace. Kyle grimaced. He had to do something and do it fast. Since he had the Joker Belt, he could use the Joker's powers to mimic the forms of the other sealed Undead. Otherwise, what choice did he have? Still, he had a short selection so he needed something that would work to his advantage.

He dug into his back pocket and pulled out a card at random and swiped it through the slot of his Rouzer.

"**Tornado!**"

Kyle's body was engulfed in a black static field before he transformed. This time though he didn't come out looking like Kamen Rider Chalice. This time, he appeared in the form of the Hawk Undead. While it was not the highest Category he had, it did have elemental power which may help in the battle.

Spreading his wings, Hawk leaped at Chalice and tackled him with what momentum he managed to collect. Another flap of his wings sent both up to the rafters of the building. Hawk attempted to claw at Chalice but the Mantis Undead wasn't fazed by the sudden mid-air battle and went straight for the assault. Both combatants attacked and struck at each other with impressive force.

Chalice didn't get to where he was in the Undead ranking by being just dumb muscle. He could recognize opportunities in battle and indeed he saw one as Kyle in the form of the Hawk Undead attempted to beat him senseless. Gripping his hand, the Chalice Arrow appeared in his grip before the Mantis Undead raised his weapon and stabbed it down into Hawk's shoulder, instantly stopping his wing movements.

"_AUGH!_" Hawk bellowed as he felt the metal dig into his flesh. Gravity quickly became the dominant force and both fighters began to fall back to the dance floor. Chalice used another opportunity and kicked off Hawk's body, freeing himself as Hawk crashed into the hard ground with a resounding crash.

"KYLE!" Amethyst cried out, tears leaking out of her eyes at the sight.

Chalice landed on the ground lightly before he turned to face his downed foe. His weapon dripped green blood onto the floor, indicating just how deeply the weapon had pierced Hawk's hide. Hawk raised his head and spread his wings before sending Chalice flying with a gust of wind, causing him to crash onto the dance floor.

Meanwhile, Amethyst had her phone in hand and was texting like crazy. "Kyle in trouble! Get here to Club Rascalz! Emergency! Undead!" She sent the message. "Hurry up, guys."

Hawk clutched his bleeding shoulder and saw Chalice recovering from the fall. Grunting, he decided to switch forms and swiped through another card.

"**Drill!**"Hawk transformed into Shell and headed to take advantage of Chalice's prone position. He didn't hestitate to charge forward, knowing he had to take every advantage he could if he wanted to defeat and reseal the Mantis Undead. Raising his blade as he drew closer, Shell slashed downward with Chalice's head as the target. However, the Mantis Undead seemed to have a powerful recovery time and blocked the blow with his Chalice Arrow before kicking Shell away with a well-placed foot in the gut.

Shell grunted and stumbled back while Chalice flipped to his feet. With a growl, he charged once again.

Within the crowd of scared and shocked people, Hikaru sipped her beer as she analyzed the entire proceedings. And here she thought that she wasn't going to be able to see anything interesting that night.

Meanwhile, the Tapir Undead was still blocking the exit when all of a sudden gunshots impacted its back, actually ripping through the door to do so. The Undead cried out in pain and turned around to face whatever dared to attack it, only for the door to be kicked clear off of its hinges and into its face, knocking it onto its back. Emerging from the space the door had been were Kamen Riders Blade and Garren.

"Go!" Blade shouted to the bystanders, "Run, get out of here!"

The people didn't need to be told twice as they all rushed out of the nightclub, running past the two Kamen Riders. As more of the people vacated, the two Riders proceeded into the club to see where all the action was taking place. Sure enough, they spotted Chalice fighting Shell in the middle of the dance floor, and apparently winning.

"Hey, didn't Kyle seal that one?" asked Garren, recognizing the form of the Shell Undead.

"It must've gotten unsealed somehow," said Blade as he drew his sword. "Come on, let's go help him."

With that said, the Rider of the Spade and Rider of the Diamond both ran towards their friend to assist him. Chalice had knocked Shell backwards with a punch and Kyle grunted. His Undead form might've been durable but he could still feel pain. He needed a way to defeat Chalice and seal him back up.

All of a sudden, gunshots hit Shell, causing him to cry out in shock. "_Ow! What!-?_" he exclaimed and then he received a sword slash from Blade, sending him staggering back. He crashed against the DJ station, knocking more of the equipment over and making a horrible screeching noise over the speakers.

Amethyst was stunned as she saw her two friends attacking Kyle, "Nii-sama! Rubeus! What are you doing!-?" she shouted.

"Huh?" Garren blinked. "We're helping Kyle." He turned towards Chalice. "Hey, man. Sorry we're…"

POW!

Chalice had nailed Garren in the face with a punch, surprising him and knocking him backwards.

"Huh?" Blade was surprised.

"Chalice isn't Kyle!" Amethyst shouted. She pointed at the Shell Undead. "_That's_ Kyle!"

Blade's eyes widened under his helmet and he looked the Shell Undead from top to bottom and saw the familiar belt Kyle often wore to initiate his transformation. "Kyle?"

"_Yeah,_" Shell confirmed. "_It's me._"

"But how?"

"_It's one of my abilities. I can mimic the form and powers of any sealed Undead,_" explained Shell.

"Oh, that makes sense. So, Chalice there…"

"_Was unsealed by the Tapir Undead you guys knocked down,_" concluded Shell.

"A little help here!" shouted Garren as he dodged Chalice's wild swings before shooting him in the gut to gain some distance. "Seriously!"

As Shell and Blade ran to assist their comrade, Hikaru merely continued to watch. While she was watching, the Spider Undead approached her with a sneer on its lips, "_I was not expecting to see you here. I would have thought you would have joined in._"

"I'd prefer to see what these people are capable of myself," Hikaru answered, not even looking at the Category Ace. However, she was prepared to fight if the situation called for it. She knew how much the Ace of Clubs enjoyed winning and was quite capable of doing whatever it took to do so. She would have enjoyed the fight as well, but she also knew that the Ace would fight dirty and she hated fighting people like that.

"_A good time to watch,_" the Ace nodded. "_With Chalice under my control, all of them will die._"

Hikaru frowned as the Spider's strategy became clear. The only two Undead that were stronger than him were Joker and the Ace of Hearts. Since Joker was likely out in the city somewhere, Spider probably thought to take control of Chalice with the Tapir and become a superpower in the battles ahead. Should the Spider and the Mantis join forces, it would become that much harder to defeat and that much easier to defeat the Joker.

A blow from Chalice knocked Shell backwards with sparks spewing from the impact point, forcing him back to human form. He landed on the floor, groaning in pain.

"Kyle!" called out Blade.

"Don't worry about me!" Kyle shot back. "Seal Chalice!" Amethyst was helping him back up.

Blade managed to bring his sword up to block Chalice's next attack and glared at the red visor of the Mantis Undead. He then pushed back and punched Chalice hard in the face. The Undead went staggering back but stood his ground and advanced but then it received several gunshots in the chest.

"Take this!" said Garren as he withdrew a card and swiped it through his Rouzer.

"**Bullet!**"

Taking aim and pulling the trigger rapidly, Garren fired much more powerful shots from his gun, causing Chalice to cry out in pain. Blade then did the same, swiping a card through his Rouzer's scanner.

"**Slash!**"

With his sword energized, Blade charged forth and slashed Chalice across the chest, causing a further explosion of sparks. He whirled around to land another blow and the sword connected violently, forcing Chalice back but not enough to defeat him. The Mantis Undead was considered the Legendary Undead for a reason. Small attacks weren't going to be enough if the Riders planned to win against him.

Resting against Amethyst, Kyle shouted out another set of instructions, "Blade, Garren! Use your elemental and kick cards! This guy won't go down with simple attacks!"

Blade nodded and fanned out the panels containing his sealed Rouze cards before drawing out the two cards. He then swiped them through.

"**Kick! Thunder!**"

"**Lightning Blast!**"

"You're not leaving me out of this even if you tried!" Garren shouted. Opening the panels of his Rouzer, he pulled out the similar cards to what Blade had drawn, Drop Whale and Fire Fly. Closing the panels, he slashed the two cards through his weapons.

"**Drop! Fire!**"

"**Burning Smash!**"

Blade and Garren holstered their weapons before taking a running charge at Chalice. They both took a running charge at the Mantis Undead before leaping into the air, their momentum carrying them closer. Blade moved into position of a flying kick with electricity surging through his foot. Garren twisted into a back flip for a drop kick while fire pushed through his boot. Both Riders came down on the Mantis Undead and smashed their kicks straight into his body. The impact was powerful and sent Chalice skidding backwards from the blow. Electricity and fire raced over Chalice's armour as the power took effect.

"_Rrraaaaaagh!_" Chalice bellowed as he attempted to resist the power of the attacks Garren and Blade had struck him with. Roaring, Chalice raised his arms into the air in defiance but it was for naught. He fell backwards and unleashed an explosion as his power failed him. His buckle then snapped open to reveal hearts and an A, signifying his rank and defeat. Blade was quick to react and unfolded his panels before selecting a Proper Blank. Pulling it out, he tossed it at Chalice, watching as the card stuck fast to his chest. Chalice's body turned green before being absorbed into the card one again. Rather than flying back to Blade, it shot into Kyle's hand. The injured Rider watched as a circle of the four Riders appeared before shifting into a heart, indicating who the card belonged to.

"_Don't think you've won,_" the Spider Undead snarled, catching the attention of the other Riders. "_You've just delayed my victory. Now that all three of you are here, I can unseal all of the Category Aces at once!_" He then heard a loud cry of pain which sounded suspiciously like the Tapir Undead and turned around. There stood the Tapir Undead before it collapsed onto it knees and dropped forward face first. Standing above the Category 10 was the Queen of Clubs, the Tiger Undead, and her claw was stained with green blood.

The Tiger Undead was radically different from the other Undead seen so far. One was that it was female and was covered with tiger fur. Bronze armor was covering her shoulders while a claw-like weapon was attached to her wrist. Her white face was covered with a black feral mask that had a smaller bronze mask over it and a Mohawk was sticking up from her head. She didn't have much in terms of torso armor except for some bronze armor covering her chest and a black skull marking.

"_Looks like your plan's ruined,_" said the Tiger Undead as she flipped the Tapir Undead over to reveal that its buckle had snapped open. "_Better luck next time._"

"_You bitch!_" the Spider Undead cursed and then turned to see Blade and Garren ready for battle and Kyle standing back up.

"Time to seal you back up, arachno-freak," threatened Kyle as he prepared to swipe the card but grunted in pain before dropping to his knees.

Deciding to cut its losses, the Spider Undead retreated and leapt up into the rafters, vanishing into the darkness before the Riders could pursue it. A smashing noise and a sudden light in the ceiling told the Riders that the Spider Undead had escaped. At the same time the Tiger Undead approached before shifting into human form, surprising Amethyst, Garren and Blade. Kyle, recognizing the woman, spoke up, "I'm surprised to see you in this place."

"I was bored, so I decided to see what the nightlife was like," shrugged Hikaru. "Now, are any of you going to seal the Tapir? I'm getting sick of his smell."

"Uh…oh! Right!" Garren nodded. Opening his panels, he drew one of the Proper Blanks before tossing it at the Tapir Undead. The card landed on target and quickly drew the Undead inside. With the sealing complete, the card flew back into Garren's hand. It now depicted a Tapir in heavy armour with electrical nodes coming out of its back, almost like a remote signal receiver of some sort. "Cool. Category 10."

"Good," Hikaru nodded before she headed for the door. "My good deed for the day is done. Good luck with the Spider and the others. You'll need it."

"Wait!" Blade cried, but Hikaru ignored him and vanished out of the door. The spade Rider looked to the door and to his friends. "Should we just let her go like that? She's one of the Undead…"

"We're fine with her," Kyle grunted as Amethyst helped him stand up. "She can behave. If there's a good fight to be had, she'll be there though." Kyle gave off another grunt as a spasm of pain ripped through his body. Man Chalice could hit hard! "I think I'm going to have to cut this date short though!"

"Okay, we'll get you back home," Amethyst offered with a forced smile. The bitter disappointment in her voice was rather quite obvious though.

* * *

><p>Kyle was helped back to his room by Rubeus and Demand and put in his bed to rest and to heal from his injuries. It was a good thing he'd been Undead form when he took all those blows but he bet he'd be sore in the morning. Meanwhile, Amethyst was being grilled for details by Topazu and Esmeraude.<p>

"So, how was your date?" Topazu asked eagerly. "Was Kyle romantic?"

Amethyst looked like she wanted to cry, immediately alerting her friends that something had gone wrong, "We didn't get to do anything!"

"What?" Esmeraude blinked. "Why? Was Kyle shy? Did he really not want to go? What happened? We set up everything perfectly!"

"We planned out everything to the last detail!" Topazu added. "You should have gotten a good night kiss or something! Heck, you even could have stayed over in his room!"

"We planned everything but an Undead showing up!" Amethyst sobbed, covering her face with her hands. "We only got to dance to two songs and were interrupted during a really romantic moment! Then it just turned into a brawl that ruined everything!"

"Oh Amethyst," Esmeraude sighed, quickly going to her friend and wrapper her in a hug. "I'm so sorry. I know this date was really important to you."

"It was," sobbed Amethyst. "Will it be like this each time we try to go out on a date? Will an Undead keep on attacking and ruin our moments?"

"I'm sure it won't," protested Topazu. "The next time, I bet, things will go smoothly."

Amethyst just continued to sob, bitterly disappointed in that the romantic date she and her friends had planned for. They had put in all sorts of ideas and plans on how they could get the purple-haired girl and the Kamen Rider together. Esmeraude and Topazu had been so sure that it would be a success that they had even been preparing for triple dates and the like between them and their significant others. Now it seemed that their plans would be postponed if not outright impossible. Kyle was sure to be laid up for a while and after that he was probably going to keep on hunting for the Undead, maybe just by pushing the incident to the back of his mind, forgetting about how much fun he was having with Amethyst.

Esmeraude and Topazu looked at one another as Amethyst sobbed.

'_Anything we can do to salvage this?_' asked Esmeraude in a silent gesture.

'_Maybe,_' Topazu shrugged.

* * *

><p>The Senshi was at the scene of a horrible crime. They found a room filled with dead bodies and all of them were covered in spider webbing and crawling with spiders. The spiders were even crawling out of the nose, ears and mouths of the victims, making them a really gruesome sight. They should've grown used to this now due to the deaths that had occurred because of the Undead but it still sickened to see bodies in such an unnatural state and killed by unnatural means.<p>

"Disgusting," Jupiter grimaced as she eyed the unfortunate people being carried out by the guards. The spiders were still coming out of the bodies and despite efforts from the Crystal Guard to catch them were escaping with ease. The Crystal Guard's effectiveness was cut significantly since many of them were still vomiting at the sight of the bodies and of the spiders emerging from them.

"How many is that now Ami?" asked Mars, not bringing herself to look at the unfortunate souls.

"Seventy by my count," Mercury sighed, looking very green. "With more to come."

"Damn those monsters," Jupiter hissed in frustration. She didn't even realize that she was breaking the profanity law. "How are they able to keep avoiding us like this? They're making us look like fools!"

"We'll need to tell the Queen," said Venus. "She'll know what to do."

The Senshi's lives had become frustrating by the day. Not only were the Riders openly breaking the Queen's laws but these monsters (Undead) defied all rhyme or reason, killing indiscriminately, without any reason for killing except that they could. This scene was one of many that they'd found. It was a gruesome sight. Mercury was just as upset and sickened by what she saw. It defied all logic, or at least the logic that she accustomed to. Youma would simply drain their victims of energy, leaving them exhausted but still alive but these new monsters were murdering people without a care. True, if a Youma could drain a person to the point of death but that almost never happened.

From the shadows the Spider Undead watched as the bodies were being moved from its lair and hissed in annoyance. It was not a good night for it as its plans had been ruined. It studied the Senshi and began to devise a new plan. Opening its palm, the Spider Undead revealed several small spiders which lowered themselves by thin lines of silk and slowly descended upon the unaware Senshi and then hid themselves inside their hair. They were so small, undetectable, and would act as the Spider Undead's spies. Now, it would wait. Silently, it slipped away without anyone noticing its presence to begin with.

* * *

><p>AN: And we see the Spider Undead at last, but he has evaded capture be unsealing the Ace of Hearts. It seems he has plans for the Senshi now to. We'll see how this turns out.


	11. Turn 11

I do not own Kamen Rider Blade or any of it's connected characters nor do I own Sailor Moon. I am only writing this for fun and not for any measure of profit. I hope you all enjoy this.

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**Turn 11: Poison Tide**

It'd been several days since the Kyle and Amethyst's disastrous date and after some consoling and from Topazu and Esmeraude, which included watching a chick flick while sharing ice cream, the violet-haired girl seemed to be back to her cheery self. However, looks could be deceiving. She was still upset about the fact that she and Kyle would probably never get a chance to have a relationship due to his responsibilities as Kamen Rider Chalice. Maybe after all the Undead were sealed away, but that would just take too long!

Amethyst stopped at an overpass and sighed deeply as she leaned against the railing, looking down at the people below. She saw couples together, in love, and she envied them. She also envied Topazu and Esmeraude for finding love. Why couldn't she have that? She was nice, wasn't she? She was attractive, wasn't she? She was someone boys wanted to spend time with, wasn't she?

'_It's not fair,_' she thought gloomily to herself. '_Why is it all my friends can find love but not me?_'

Her thoughts were interrupted by the song of a canary and she turned her attention to a man who was standing next to her. She'd been so deep in thought that she had not realized his presence. He was dressed in blue with a bandanna around his head and carrying a birdcage with a canary inside. His eyes were soft and kind. "What seems to be troubling you, young one?"

"Just…regrets," Amethyst shrugged. "You probably don't want to hear."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want an answer," the man replied. "Please, sharing your troubles helps to soothe them."

Amethyst frowned and fiddled her fingers, "Well…I guess sharing might help," she sighed and continued, "You see, there's this boy that I like and I really want to get to know."

"A positive pursuit," the man smiled. "I assume that something has been hindering your quest?"

"Try a few things," Amethyst sighed. "He doesn't really seem to notice that I'm interested. His focus is more on a duty that's been put on him. The one time I actually had a chance, that duty popped up again and our date was ruined. It seems like whenever I try to get his attention, something always happens."

"So, he is focused on duty while you are focused on romance and both ideas clash," the man concluded. "Troubling indeed."

"All my friends are in relationships and I feel like the odd one out," sighed Aamethyst. "When he first showed up I thought maybe I would have a chance to know what it was really like, but…I don't know if I'll ever get that chance."

"Fret not, young one," the man said comfortingly. "And never lose hope. Only those who fall into despair fail at their goals."

"I'm still hoping," she told him. "Part of me wants to keep trying but another part wants me to just move on to find another guy, but…"

"But…?" he prompted.

"There's no other guy like him," Amethyst finished. She elaborated, "He's brave, smart, and really cute, not to mention dependable and reliable. I admire all that about him and I just want him to admire me too."

"So, are you just going to give up after the first hurdle?" the man asked.

"No way," Amethyst shook her head. "I'm just not sure what to do." She closed her eyes and listened to the canary's song. Just hearing it helped soothe some of her troubles. The man merely smiled as he saw a measure of peace reach Amethyst's face.

"Something as complicated as love is not often achieved so simply," The man advised. "Definitely not as easily as the Love Ministry claims it is, otherwise everyone below us would be in relationships."

"Yeah, but I always thought it was a good place to start," Amethyst sighed. "Maybe I was wrong."

"A place to start is always good," the man nodded. "But each person's path is hardly the same."

Amethyst pondered on that statement. That was definitely true. Safir and Topazu didn't fall in love nearly as quickly or the same way that Demand and Esmeraude had. In fact, the way they had gotten together was nothing alike.

"You're right," she nodded. "So what if my relationship isn't developing like my friends' did? If I keep working at it, it can still happen."

"Exactly," the man nodded. "Be patient, and walk through your own path and you will reach your goals.

Amethyst nodded with a bright smile, "Thank-you. I don't think I caught your name though."

"Shima," the man smiled.

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Tokyo University<strong>

Kyle grunted as he left his classes, once again his head feeling like he was being subjected to his brain being stuffed with all sorts of things he wouldn't otherwise be able to remember without intense studying. He was half convinced that it held subliminal messages of some kind to make him more obedient to the crown. Maybe part of the reason it made his head hurt so much was because his Undead biology, what of it he had in his human form anyway, was managing to fight it. He was no expert so it was really hard to say.

"I should just blow off the rest of the day," he muttered, his aching head affecting his temper.

Reaching the bottom of the stairs, he headed in the direction of his next class. Another gym class filled with boring exercises and then the stress of dealing with the showers and no nudity taboos between genders. Now that was going to be fun.

Walking towards his destination, he noticed a few students reading over The Radical. It was the issue which revealed that Sailor Saturn had broken the queen's laws and struck two Undead with physical violence rather than shooting with magic. Judging from Amethyst's website, it was stirring up some controversy among the citizens. On one hand, one of the Senshi was taking her duties to the people seriously, but on the other hand that same Senshi had broken the laws she had sworn to uphold.

The Radical was making numerous runs through the student body, stirring up opinions and ideas like students their age should have been developing. Of course, just as many students were admonishing those who read the Radical periodical, mainly citing it as propaganda supporting radical elements who sought to disrupt the peace and stability of the city.

Finding the gymnasium, he was just about to reach for the door when his head throbbed and his vision became blurry with the sight of an Undead going active. Her hunched over as he was force-fed images of insect legs, red, black, steel and was that…a poolside bar?

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Caribbean Resort<strong>

The climate controlled resort that was so popular among the citizens was usually one of the places where you would find a large amount of people enjoying the warm temperatures and sparkling blue waters. It would be a place to have fun, relax, and forget your troubles for at least a day if not longer depending on how much cash and spare time you had.

Today, this seemed like a normal day for the visitors. The men, women, and children were enjoying what the resort had to offer be it slides, swimming pools, beverages, or whatever they desired. It appeared that all was well as far as the vacationers were concerned.

Lying on a poolside chair and relaxing with his hands behind his head and a straw hat over his face was a man with a large build, wearing a Hawaiian shirt and Bermuda shorts with flip flops. He looked like a guy who came to the resort for the intention of lounging about and to laze about while enjoying himself at the same time. This man was Daichi, aka the Jack of Clubs: Elephant Undead. While one of the physically strongest of the Undead, by nature he was quite lazy. He would fight when provoked, but if it was a choice between relaxing or fighting, he'd choose the latter.

"Say whatever you want about these people, but they sure know how to relax," he said with a stretch. He snapped his fingers and a waiter arrived. "Another tropical fruit punch, with a little umbrella in the glass, please."

The waiter promptly obeyed and went off to retrieve the order letting Daichi continue to relax. Where most Undead scorned Crystal Tokyo because of how the people had become so much like obedient sheep and the monarchy seeming more like naïve schoolchildren than actual rulers, Daichi considered it a positive in humans' favor as he had never managed to be so relaxed with anything he had done before, even during his last release in which he bided his time until he decided he could defeat the other Riders. Of course, he was defeated when Blade managed to pull something unexpected out of his hat and defeat him. He didn't begrudge the last Blade for that. Daichi had fought an opponent and didn't account for anything unexpected and paid the price.

Now, another Battle Fight had begun in such a strange place. The people were rather bland and seemed content to do whatever the ruling body told them to do. Said ruling body seemed to prefer living in a child's fairy tale, believing that everything can be smiles and roses so long as you got rid of the stuff that made people bad like weapons, competition, and even dark thoughts. Well, for a guy like him who'd rather not entertain fighting until he had to, that was just fine. It was no skin off his nose.

"So much relaxing to do, so little time to do it," he chuckled to himself.

Screaming sounded off in the distance, which was normal since some of the children and young couples liked to play with each other in splash fights and such. The disguised Elephant Undead merely ignored it as he let the tension leak away from his muscles. Closing his eyes to see if he could catch a nap, his mind suddenly jolted as a grainy image f the resort appeared before his eyes. Screams erupted from all around, this time in fear rather than in amusement. Sighing as the vision left his sights, he grabbed the hat which covered his face and lifted it up to see what was going on.

People were running amok, screaming for help and practically trampling over one another to get away. The people in the pool were thrashing, trying to swim to the edge and climb their way out in efforts to get to safety. It was every man for himself it seemed, everyone pushing everyone else out of the way so they could get someplace safe. Numerous couples even split up to leave their other halves behind in their own bids for safety.

'_So much for that Love Ministry_' Daichi idly thought to himself as he looked across the pool to see the source of the mayhem.

The source was an Undead, obviously to Daichi. It was smashing sun chairs out of its way as it chased after several humans while it went. Behind it was several corpses whose wounds were spilling blood into the pool, turning the blue water into a sickening red. Others were not so lucky as they were groaning in agony, lying on the ground with strange splotches appearing on their skin.

The Undead itself had black skin for the most part with metal bands around it's shins, ankles, and its right arm. The right thigh had black leather with studs on it, while the left thigh had some red stripes marking it. It's chest section was red with numerous black insect legs sticking out of the edges, making it look like they were holding the flesh of the chest open in a way. It's left arm was striped red and black with red insect legs rising from its shoulder blade. More black legs rose from it's right shoulder, but also a centipede head with sharp red pinchers made an appearance. It's head was black with little features save for sunken eyes, spikes sticking from its scalp, a strip of studded steel running down the centre of its face, and a pair of red mandibles where the mouth would have been expected to be.

"Category 10: Centipede Undead," Daichi sighed. "Dammit…why did you have to come to here of all places?"

"Halt! In the name of the Queen!"

Daichi couldn't help but roll his eyes as he witnessed a pair of Crystal Guards approach the Centipede Undead, capturing its attention from the civilians it had been targeting. The pair had been guarding the entrance to the resort, likely to simply intimidate people into behaving since on the outside with their armor and weapons they seemed tough. Unfortunately, like with the rest of the Crystal Guard they relied more on _looking_ tough than actually _being_ tough.

The pair were trembling violently as the Centipede Undead snarled at them. Daichi figured that they wanted nothing more than to run away alongside the civilians but their conditioning from their oh-so-beloved queen prevented them from doing that.

"S-Surrender yourself peacefully o-or…w-we'll be forced to use r-r-radical measures to subdue you!" one of the two guards stuttered.

On the average unruly citizen, that may have been enough. On an Undead though, it was more of a declaration of battle. Snarling, the Centipede Undead flexed its claws and leaped at the pair of soldiers. Daichi was treated to the men's screams and wails for protection from the queen as the first soldier was tackled to the ground before the Centipede Undead began clawing away at him, spreading blood on the ground. The second soldier, rather than help his comrade, dropped his weapon and began running away with screams of terror. The Centipede Undead growled, looking up from its victim before it inhaled and shot a glob of neon blue fluid from the back of its throat. The soldier looked back to see if the monster was chasing him and took the blow to the face, screaming in pain before collapsing onto the ground.

"That had to hurt," Daichi chuckled.

The two men finished, but woefully disappointing just the same, the Centipede Undead snarled and continued on it's warpath. As it approached Daichi's side of the pool though, it took notice of the man seemingly unconcerned with its rampage. Growing angry, it snarled at him and began to approach with deadly intent.

"Baring your fangs at me eh?" Daichi sighed. Shaking his head, he sat up on his beach chair to gaze at the enemy Undead in resignation. "I really don't like to fight. Not when I don't have to anyway."

The Centipede Undead snarled and began to approach.

"But it seems you don't care or don't understand that you're in over your head," Shaking his head, Daichi sighed yet again. "Oh well. Still, I guess there's something to be said for keeping one's blood running hot." Daichi's entire form rippled before he stood up and revealed his true form to the Centipede Undead.

The Elephant Undead stood tall, his black armor gleaming in the sunlight. His arms and legs were a dull green color, but were rippling with powerful muscles. The majority of his legs were covered in black leather armor with a studded kilt at his waist. His torso armor was covered in strips of iron and strangely enough, in the centre was an iron circle with an eye in the middle of the Elephant Undead's chest. His left shoulder had a black metal elephant skull mounted on it while the right one had a trunk rising out of it that ran down his back to his legs and was covered with a bladed tip. His arms were left bare, but his right wrist was mounted with a gauntlet that had chains hanging from it with spiked balls on the end of it. Finally his face was covered in a black mask with metal studs on it that slightly resembled an elephant's, but it also had chains hanging from the sides to simulate hair.

"_Now,_" the Elephant Undead spoke, summoning a war hammer as his personal weapon. "_Will you show me your measure as an Undead?_"

The Centipede Undead made a choking noise and took a step back, obviously intimidated by the Jack of Clubs' appearance. While the numbered Undead were more primal than the Royal Class Undead, they did have some measure of sentience. It knew that the Elephant Undead severely outclassed it. It may have been only one rank below its opponent, but that one level was a horrendous gap in power that was better off not explored.

"_Oh? Are you not going to attack?_" asked the Elephant Undead. "_Or do you wish for me to take the lead?_"

The Centipede Undead made another choking noise, looking like that it was truly preparing to run away as fast as it possibly could. The choice however, was abruptly taken away with the noise of engines racing through the air. Both Undead turned towards the source and saw a pair of motorcycles with young men riding them racing towards them. Both skidded to a halt, leaving black marks in the ground as they did so. Removing their helmets, they revealed themselves to be young men with either red or white hair.

Demand and Rubeus had both gotten the call from Kyle concerning an Undead attack at a resort. They were the only ones who could make it since they had the transportation and couldn't wait for their fellow Rider to catch up with them. After a quick call to Amethyst who used the Internet to track any disturbances, she pointed them in the right direction towards to Crystal Caribbean Resort where reports of monster attacks were spilling out like crazy.

"Looks like we got two this time," said Demand, dismounting his bike.

"Yeah, but it looks like they're fighting each other," added Rubeus, looking at the pair of Undead who seemed to be squaring off against one another instead of them.

"Doesn't matter to me," said Demand as he took out his Rider System. "Remember, we have to seal them before things get worse."

"Right," the redhead agreed, pulling out his Category Ace.

Both young men strapped the buckles to their waists before slotting their respective Ace inside of it. As one, they gripped the handles on the buckles them and pulled them with a simultaneous cry of "Henshin!"

"**Turn Up!**"

Both belts unleashed blue rectangular fields which the young men dashed through, transforming them into the Kamen Riders Blade and Garren. Drawing their weapons, they charged towards the pair of Undead.

The Centipede Undead took notice and hisses, preparing for a fight. It saw the Riders as the easier opponents to take down compared to a Category Jack Undead like the Elephant Undead. The Category Jack in question merely turned his gaze to the pair and if it could in that form, would have quirked an eyebrow.

"_Is this...deja vu I wonder?_" he pondered. The last time he was free, he had first fought the Riders at an amusement park if he recalled properly. Shrugging his shoulders, he turned to face Blade with his hammer resting over his shoulder.

Garren fired recklessly at the Centipede Undead who didn't seem afraid of being shot as it likewise charged back at the red Rider. Being unable to die likely helped with that confidence. The pair collided as Garren attempted a shoulder charge when the Undead got too close for the gun to be effective. The Category 10 hissed and slugged Garren across the face, compromising his balance before unleashed more punches and kicks to knock him away.

"Ow!" the red Rider growled, shaking his head. Frowing behind his mask, he glared at the Undead. "Fine! If you wanna play rough then let's go!" Opening his Rouzer, he plucked out two cards before he slashed them through his weapon.

"**Bullet! Scope!"**

Scope Bat increased Garren's accuracy while Bullet Armadillo added more damage to his shots. Combined, the two cards gave Garren devastating accuracy and the ability to deal more damage. Taking aim, Garren squeezed the trigger and shot the Centipede Undead directly in the chest. The bullet pierced the Undead who screamed as green blood splashed along the floor. "Gotcha!"

Meanwhile, Blade was having trouble with the Elephant Undead whose tough hide prevented his sword from doing anything except rip off a few sparks, but not doing any visible damage. Whenever he tried to launch a more serious blow at a better target say the Undead's neck or joints the kaijin would simply dodge, showing unusual speed for a life form of its size. If anything, the beast seemed downright bored...and said as such, "_Is this all you new Riders can do?_"

Blade blinked under his helmet and stated, "Wait...you can _talk_!?"

"_And you can state the obvious_," deadpanned the Elephant Undead.

Blade began to sweat under his helmet. Besides the Category Aces, the only other Undead that could speak human language were the Royals. This was one of them. Was it a King, Queen or Jack?

"_You're nervous,_" the Undead noticed, slowly approaching Blade who by reflex took a step back. "_You're not used to fighting Undead at my level are you? If that's the case then I am simply too much for you at your current level of strength. Why don't you help your friend with the small fry and leave me in peace until you feel like you can put up a fight, hm?_"

"I _won't_ run away!" Blade shouted, running towards his opponent with his weapon held high.

The Elephant Undead sighed and shook his head. Letting blade approach he pulled back his free hand before he shoved Blade back with immense force and the blow knocked the air right out of his lungs. _"You know, I didn't come here to fight. All I wanted was to take relax and enjoy my day in peace and quiet. Is that too much to ask?"_ the Elephant Undead asked in an annoyed tone.

Blade grit his teeth and struggled to stand up.

* * *

><p>Meanwhile, Kyle was running towards the source of the disturbance. He'd called Rubeus and Demand and the two had responded quickly. Still, if what Kyle's senses were telling him were true, they were going to need him. After his first vision ended, a brief second one started up which looked like the same place, only with another Undead. Which one he couldn't be sure. Unlike his friends though, Kyle didn't have a bike so he had to rely on going on foot.<p>

He turned a corner and almost ran into someone. Reeling backwards, he fell on his rear. "Damn..." He looked and saw a hand offering to help him up. Accepting the hand, he was pulled up to his feet. "Thanks..." His voice froze in his throat as he saw who he was saying thanks to. "Shima...?"

"Hello to you too, Young Chalice," Shima, aka the Tarantula Undead smiled at him. Kyle relaxed, honestly unable to do otherwise in the presence of the man. Unlike most of the Undead, Shima was the kindest and most gentle. A pacifist at heart who preferred to live in peace with the humans and not slaughter them like the rest of his kind. It seemed that his traits ran true in this world and not just on a television screen.

"Sorry," Kyle apologized as he took a step back from Shima. "I have to go somewhere."

"You mean you have to fight," Shima assumed.

"Yeah, pretty much," said Kyle.

"Why can't you let this city's protectors do it?" Shima questioned.

"We are this city's protectors! If you're talking about the Queen and her Sailor Senshi, they're more interested in keeping up their image than actually getting their hands dirty!" Kyle argued in a rage.

"So, you think your way is the right way," Shima concluded.

"It's the only way to prevent more loss of life," said Kyle. "That's what we're trying to make people see. If we want to protect and save lives, we'll have to fight! They're so worried about how violence makes them look that they're letting more violence occur! And don't get me started on the people! They won't lend a hand to help each other! If being peaceful means being ignorant, I'm glad I'm doing something!"

Kyle didn't know why he was telling Shima all this. Was it the rage that he'd kept locked inside at seeing so much of what he considered a staple of human behaviour missing from the people? Was it Shima's calming nature that allowed it to come fore, allowing him to voice it to a source that wouldn't judge him? Regardless, Kyle couldn't waste anymore time.

Shima was silent for a moment, seemingly contemplating Kyle's answer as he looked into the distance littered with more white and crystal. Finally, he spoke, "This place needs to change,"

"I thought you'd prefer peace," Kyle commented. It wasn't quite the answer he was expecting from a peaceful person like Shima.

"Not like this," Shima shook his head. "With free will taken, it is simply blind acceptance. There is no spark of life, desire to live, explore, invent, or create. Only the will of one woman allows anything to happen here. This is the most terrible form of oppression. This is not peace, but a prison."

"Glad you agree," Kyle smiled. "Now, if you don't mind, I gotta go before my friends get in over their heads."

Shima nodded and stepped aside, gesturing to the path ahead, "Then go Young Chalice. I hope we speak again someday."

"I do too," Kyle nodded before he started running again.

* * *

><p><strong>SPLASH!<strong>

Garren and the Centipede Undead hit the water of the red/blue pool, striking at one another in the midst of their brawl. The Centipede Undead was swift, allowing it to dodge Garren's shots before it tackled him. Garren attempted to wrestle back, the resulting fighting sending them both falling into the pool.

"PFFT! EW!" Garren gagged, coming up for air. He struggled to get away from the murky red side of the pool. "This suit better be waterproof!"

The Centipede Undead had no such hang ups about what was or wasn't in the water and began sloshing through it to reach for Garren once again.

"Oh, no you don't!" Garren took aim and fired at the Centipede Undead as he came closer. All he had to do was cause enough damage to subdue it then seal it.

Meanwhile, with Blade and the Elephant Undead, the Rider's slashes weren't doing any damage against the Elephant Undead's tough hide and armor. The Undead, however, became fed up and caught Blade's sword before tossing him away.

"_You know what? This is boring,_" scoffed the Elephant Undead as he shouldered his war hammer. "_I'm going to find someplace peaceful and take a nap._" He yawned and walked away from the scene. Blade got up and looked around to see that the Elephant Undead had withdrawn. He punched the floor and growled in frustration. Garren was sent flying out of the pool and landed next to him. The Centipede Undead had just tossed him out. Splashing from the pool announced the Undead's emergence, the bloody water dripping from it's hide.

"Problems?" Blade asked.

"I got him on the ropes," Garren retorted as he picked himself up. "Where's the big guy?"

"He got away," said Blade.

"Oh, you sent him running?" Garren asked.

"...Not exactly..." Blade was ashamed to admit that the Elephant Undead had only withdrawn because Blade just wasn't worth his time.

"Come on, let's finish this together," said Garren as he took out two cards from his Rouzer: Drop Whale and Fire Fly. Blade nodded as he fanned out his card holder and picked out Kick Locust and Thunder Deer.

They activated the cards, slashing them through.

"**Drop! Fire! Burning Smash!**"

"**Kick! Thunder! Lightning Blast!**"

The images of the cards came out and were absorbed into the Rider's chest. The two leapt into the air with Blade performing a flying side kick with his extended foot arching with electricity while Garren performed a drop kick with flames encasing his feet.

The Centipede Undead was climbing out of the pool when it was struck by Garren's Burning Smash before being sent flying back into the pool by Blade's Lightning Blast. The Undead fell into the water with a large splash and the electricity coursing through its body caused it to explode, an eruption of water following. When the smoke cleared, the Undead was floating faceup on the surface of the water.

"Come on, let's seal it," said Garren as he took out a proper blank. Suddenly, several colorful feathers dropped down and landed around them, sticking into the floor. "Huh?" The feathers exploded and surrounded the Riders in smoke, blinding them. Once the smoke cleared, they saw that the Centipede Undead was gone.

"Huh!? Where did it go!?" shouted Garren.

"Good question," Blade frowned, looking in all directions. How could a twisted monster like an Undead just disappear so damn quickly? Their eyes were off of the thing for a minute and now it was gone!

"Hey! Guys!" a new voice shouted. Blade and Garren turned to see the familiar face of Kyle approaching. He was sweating and out of breath, obviously had been busting his ass to get there.

"You're late," Garren commented. "You missed everything."

Kyle groaned, dropping to his knees, "Jeez...I need a bike." Panting, he shook his head. "Tell me you at least got the Undead."

"Afraid we didn't," Blade shook his head. "There were two. One left and someone took the other one away. All we saw was some feathers fall from the sky before they exploded and the Undead was gone."

Kyle groaned even louder than before, "Jeez!"

"Yeah," Garren agreed. "Now before we can whine about it can we get out of here? The Crystal Guard is due to show up sometime and you know who's going to be showing up with them!"

"Right, right," Kyle nodded, standing up. "I'm going to hitch a ride with one of you guys though. I don't care how it looks. I'm not running the distance again."

"You can ride with me," Blade offered. "You look like you're about to die."

"Thanks."

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Park<strong>

Daichi was sleeping on a bench not far from the resort with his hat covering his face. The people of the city looked at the man with disdain but didn't do anything about it and decided just to ignore him. However, someone decided to approach him.

"So," began the mysterious stranger, "It's been a long time, hasn't it, Elephant?"

Daichi replied, taking his hat off slightly before frowning in annoyance, "Oh, it's _you_. I thought I sensed your presence. What do you want?"

The stranger replied, "Oh, just wanted to see an old friend. I mean, this isn't the Battle Fight anymore, is it?"

"Whatever you want, I'm not interested," said Daichi. "Go bug someone else, four eyes."

"Very well. I only wanted to say hello," said the stranger. Turning to leave, he glanced back at Daichi, "Oh, fair warning. I wouldn't try drinking the water anytime soon."

"I'll make a note of it," Daichi yawned, settling back onto his bench. "Good luck with your schemes. We all know how your last one turned out."

The man stiffened at the insinuation, "Tachibana exceeded my calculations but these new Riders are mere children, and untrained. History will not repeat itself."

"Here's hoping," Daichi shrugged, leaving the stranger to walk away.

* * *

><p><strong>University Cafeteria<strong>

Kyle had a reason to be concerned. A highly dangerous Undead was still at large. WhenDemand and Rubeus had told him who they had fought, he recognized the descriptions to be of the Centipede and Elephant Undeads. He told them that the Elephant Undead wasn't exactly a threat and preferred to just lounge about instead of fighting unless provoked or he had a good estimate of the person that he is supposed to fight. It was the Centipede Undead which was his main concern. Its venom was potent.

Someone had grabbed the Centipede Undead while distracting both Kyle's friends. It had to be one of the Royal Undead and since they had mentioned feathers, there were two suspects; the Eagle and Peacock Undeads. He ruled out the Eagle Undead since he was an honorable fighter. That just left the Peacock Undead as the prime suspect and Kyle did not feel good knowing this. He would need to tell his friends what they could expect. The Peacock Undead was a schemer and if he had the Centipede Undead, then he must need the 10 of Hearts for something. Whatever it was, it couldn't be anything good.

"Really, do tell us again how you completely missed the fight again?" Esmeraude grinned.

The group of students were meeting at one of their spots in the university cafeteria. The noise was so loud no one would overhear them unless they specifically wanted to. They were at the moment discussing what may end up happening with the latest Undead attack since it seemed like someone had interfered.

"Esmeraude, it's not that funny," Kyle frowned. "Can we focus on the fact that the Peacock Undead decided to make a move?"

"Yes," Safir agreed. "Just what kind of opponent can we expect from him?"

"A crafty one," Kyle replied, poking at his food. "The guy always has a plan going on. If he's grabbed the Centipede Undead then he has a use for him and it's not going to be good for us."

"But what would he want that Undead for?" asked Topazu curiously.

"The Centipede Undead has the ability to excrete a very potent venom that can cause any number of symptoms and curing it is next to impossible without the anti-venom that can only be synthesized with a sample of its undiluted venom," Kyle explained. "Anyone with a poison that potent could use it for a lot of purposes, lethal and destructive purposes."

"Well, how are we gonna find this Peacock guy?" Demand asked.

"It won't be easy," said Kyle. "He'll only come out when he has to and right now isn't that time. But as a Royal Undead he's powerful. When the time comes we'll need to work together, all four Riders."

"Four?" They only had three active Riders so far.

"That means finding and sealed the Spider Undead when we get the chance," Kyle finished. "Until then we need to keep our eyes and ears open for any strange activity that might lead us to him or the Centipede Undead."

The gravity of the situation was really getting to them. Esmeraude decided to shift the mood towards something more positive, "So, what are we gonna put in the next issue of the Radical?"

"We should probably write up about the Centipede Undead and its abilities," Amethyst suggested. "If it's going to be running around then people need to be warned about it."

"Yes," Kyle agreed. Even if would disturb the peace Neo Queen Serenity and her Senshi so wanted to maintain, the people needed to know about a threat within their midst. They couldn't just pretend everything was alright and let the Royal Guards and Senshi deal with everything. The people needed to be a little more proactive in their safety and show some initiative, something they seemed to be lacking.

"Okay," Rubeus nodded. "Before we do that though, we need to get Kyle his own bike so he doesn't miss out on the party next time."

Kyle rolled his eyes, "You aren't going to let that go are you?"

"Not for a while," the redhead grinned.

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Palace<strong>

Hotaru and Usa were enjoying some time off in the princess' room, attempting to amuse themselves. Hotaru was still on guard duty with Usa as her punishment for breaking the laws while fighting the Undead, but it didn't really mean much of a punishment when you were ordered to spend time with your best friend. Frankly it looked more like Hotaru's outburst was being treated like a childish act of rebellion than some kind of capital offense.

Normally the pair would be enjoying themselves with something girls their age went for, but the news reports were coming in on the attack at the resort. Many people were dead and more were suffering from a bad poisoning and weren't expected to survive much longer even if the best doctors in the city were working on the case. Even Sailor Mercury didn't know what to do.

Ever since the Undead had emerged, the death count in Crystal Tokyo had increased dramatically. People were scared of course, but they all seemed perfectly happy to sit back and let the royalty do the work on rescuing them. When one has super powers, that was the expected course of action but what happens when your regular superheroines can't seem to get the job done?

The Riders could fight the Undead and win, all of the Senshi had seen that much when their own magic seemed to be failing spectacularly. The problem was that their methods went directly against the doctrine which the queen had established, breaking pretty much all of her laws concerning physical violence. As a result, the Senshi were just as determined to take down the Riders as they were the Undead. They actually viewed the Riders as dangerous a threat to the city as the Undead were even though the Riders clearly wished to protect to the people. The Senshi were just far too set in their ways and believed in their own power to almost the point of denial, refusing to believe that other methods of protecting the people existed when they were doing it their way for so long.

It would be so much better if both the Senshi and Riders could work together, but with one side set in their ways and another side going against the rules, it didn't seem like that was possible.

Usa was all for obeying the rules and such things, but if there was anything she learned from her time in the past with the Senshi during her days as Chibi-Moon then there were times that rules should be broken. Protecting people and saving lives were way more important than following the rules. Who cared if you looked like a brute or a radical when you fought a monster bent on killing people so long as the people were protected? Apparently the majority of the Senshi thought it was important to be graceful with their magic and not with their fists. Frankly the princess wondered if the Radical was right and the elder Senshi were more worried about their public image than their duties these days.

If Usa was in charge, she would change things, prioritize the safety of the people instead of preserving the clean image of the Senshi and Crystal Tokyo. If they saved people, even if it meant dirtying their hands, wouldn't that make the people see them as heroes? Sure violence wasn't exactly what she would call productive for society but it was better than simply striking poses and letting the monsters run amok. At least when the Senshi of the past posed it distracted the monsters. The Undead just didn't seem to care.

But how could Usa get her parents and Senshi to see reason?

"Gah!" the pinkette cried, scratching her head. "This is making my head hurt!"

"Trying to solve a problem Usa-chan?" asked Hotaru.

"I'm just trying to figure out how we can start getting the Riders and the other Senshi to start working together," Usa huffed. "We both want to stop the Undead don't we? Why do the others keep considering the Riders their enemies too?"

"I don't know," Hotaru sighed, catching on her friend's train of thought. "I never really held it against anyone who wasn't happy in Crystal Tokyo even if we are, but the others treat it like some kind of insult or crime when someone complains or breaks one of the rules."

"Well, after all that stuff with Galaxia and the Big Freeze after that I guess we'd be pretty determined to have some peace," Usa shrugged. "I know I did but..."

"Peace doesn't last forever," Hotaru nodded. "There's always something that tries to spoil it." When Hotaru had learnt that Haruka had tried to force the Riders to give up their cards, she had become upset. If the Riders didn't have their cards, how were they supposed to beat the Undead? It seemed like the Riders were the only ones who could beat the Undead but the Senshi wanted the people to see them as heroes and now some violent group of 'radicals' that seemed dedicated towards undermining them, the royalty, and the rules they had set.

* * *

><p>Despite how much the Senshi tried to tell themselves otherwise, all was not well in Crystal Tokyo.<p>

Thanks to the efforts of the Radical, people were receiving the unfiltered truth of the recent monster attacks. Some of the city's residents were questioning the effectiveness of the Senshi it seemed. Ever since these creatures called Undead had emerged, the Senshi had failed each and every time to subdue them and the Riders appeared more successful. One of them even managed to protect the royal family during the parade, defeating the monster while the Senshi's magic couldn't even put a dent on its armor. The Riders had even saved the royal family when the Stag Beetle Undead had attacked the palace. What made that incident especially painful was the supposed report that the Senshi were hiding the truth behind several attacks and their queen who always promoted peace and fairness tried to convert the Riders without their consent and with their backs turned.

The latest issue of the Radical was ready for distribution and the new reports were being put on their website online. Reports describing the Centipede Undead and its abilities were written up and ready to be read by the masses. So long as the delivery spots weren't disturbed and the Crystal Guard didn't haul it away on sight then the people were going to be receiving the warnings they needed to protect themselves.

The latest issue did reach the attention of the Senshi and the queen. She called a meeting and ordered the Senshi to assemble to discuss on their next course of action regarding the situation. All of her advisors were in attendance, ready to lend their opinions and ideas, but two particular faces were noticeably absent. Normally, her advisors Luna and Artemis would be present. However, the two Moon Cats were currently..._unavailable_.

Well, _unavailable_ was understating were actually relieved from duty for the time being. Neo Queen Serenity felt that their service to the crown during her years as a Senshi had left the pair jaded and thus they deserved to retire. Of course the pair hadn't felt that it was right for them to simply leave their duties but Neo Queen Serenity felt that until they were ready to fully embrace Crystal Tokyo rather than look at all the radical aspects which likely would never happen then the pair did not need to try and taint the views of the royalty with their paranoia and radical ideas.

Maybe they could attribute the glaring flaws in Crystal Tokyo as their fault. All they did since they met Usagi and the girls was show how grand the Silver Millennium was and after they saw Crystal Tokyo could become the grandest and most beautiful kingdom in existence, they harped her about it non-stop, trying to mould her into the perfect queen they knew Queen Serenity of the Silver Millennium to be. They never truly trained her to become a leader or a queen but seemed to expect her to simply grow into the role because she had the Ginzuishou to guide her. However, what they didn't take into account was that after fighting against the forces of evil for so long, Usagi decided that she no longer wanted herself or her friends to fight and decided to wipe out everything negative in the kingdom once she took the throne so no one would have to fight ever again.

But now these Undead and Riders were threatening the very thing the queen had built and that was something she could not allow. Radical ideas were dangerous and needed to be stomped down. Their kingdom was perfect and she would not allow anything or anyone to tell or show her otherwise.

"And why should we care about a radical piece of trash?" asked Haruka, throwing the Radical to the table, looking like she wanted to wash her hands.

"Because it's describing the latest attack of these youma and a list of abilities one of them has," Ami explained. "While I too find the piece to be unsavory we can't ignore an opportunity to find out any weaknesses to these creatures."

"Says here it can make poison that has various effects," Makoto grimaced, taking in the sight of the Centipede Undead. "It warns people to not touch it but an anti-venom can be derived from it if there's a sample to be had. It even describes what the liquid form of the venom looks like."

"Bet it's just propaganda and lies to make the people panic and embrace radical ideas," Haruka scowled.

"The deaths are real though," said Ami. "I visited the hospital. The latest batch of patients are suffering from some kind of poison I've never seen before and dying. We can't ignore the fact that people, our people, are dying."

"Then if even for a chance of finding this cure, we must hunt down this creature before the Riders seal it," Michiru commented. "Then those people would be doomed."

"Your Majesty?" Haruka looked up at Neo Queen Serenity, hoping her wisdom could guide them.

Neo Queen Serenity sighed, her eyes dark with regret. She did not wish to believe that the radicals were right about anything, but she could not ignore a threat to her people no matter how great or small, "Find this youma and detain it. We are going to need that venom so Ami-chan can make the antidote the people need to recover."

"And the Riders?" Minako asked. "What do we do about them?"

"For the sake of the people, they cannot be allowed to seal this monster until we have it. Detain them, arrest them, do whatever it takes," the blonde queen answered. "The Riders cannot be allowed to succeed."

* * *

><p><strong>University Campus<strong>

"So, the plan is to find the Centipede Undead, cut off a piece of it with a venom sample, then seal it," Kyle concluded. It was a basic plan, but it was a good one. Heck, he even knew a good spot to cut already, having seen the first Chalice do it in the television series.

"OK, but how are we going to find it?" Esmeraude asked. "Are we just going to wait until it strikes."

"At this point it seems like the only course of action we got, unless we have some kind of Undead Locating Device," said Amethyst.

"Well, maybe we can whip one up if we can figure out how the Undead move," suggested Safir.

Kyle nodded, but didn't really have much hope of anyone developing one without an in-depth study on an Undead. The Riders in the canon Blade series had a computer program which was capable of tracking Undead when they started attacking. He wasn't exactly sure how the system worked so he had no idea how to recreate it even if he was someone who was able to make computer programs. It likely involved sensors in the city which relayed the information of the Undead attacking. Still, it was worth a shot to maybe develop some kind of tracking system that alerted them of any sign of trouble which might be Undead related. His only question was how to go about it. For now, all they could rely on was Kyle's sixth sense which allowed him to sense when an Undead was actively attacking people.

"Well, in the meantime we've got a dealership to go to," Rubeus shrugged. "Maybe we can go and get Kyle a bike before another Undead shows up and has him running to the fight and missing it altogether."

"Okay, it was sort of funny the first time but it's getting old now," Kyle frowned. They kept teasing him for being late and it was getting annoying.

"Not to me!" the redhead laughed.

Kyle merely rolled his eyes. He may as well get used to the ribbing since Rubeus had a habit of milking whatever he found funny for all it was worth. With Esmeraude egging him on as well Kyle knew that it would probably be doomsday before he heard the end of this.

"So, know any good dealerships that has a bike up to my specifications?" asked Kyle.

"There's Tenoh Motors," said Rubeus. "It's the best and only dealership in the entire city."

Kyle froze at the name, fearing the connotations, "Tenoh...as in Haruka Tenoh?"

"Yep," Demand nodded. "She's the one person to go to when it comes to transportation. Cars, motorcycles, just about everything transportation is handled by her and the Transportation Ministry. The best of the best comes from her."

"This has bad idea written all over it," Kyle frowned. Getting near any of the Senshi was just asking for a potential disaster. He still remembered the time that they had ended up in the same restaurant with Makoto, Rei, and Minako and almost risked their identities as Riders to fight the Rhino Undead. "Well, so long as we don't run into Haruka herself or any of the other Senshi at the dealership then we can just go in and get out with a new bike."

"Then shall we be off?" asked Safir. "The dealership closes at six."

"Right," said Kyle. "Hey, don't I need some kind of license or something?"

"Not since before the Big Freeze," Demand replied. "One receives quick training when they buy their first vehicle like in the classrooms. You seem to have natural talent though if how you drove it as a Rider is any indication so you may not need it."

"Wow," Kyle blinked. It made getting a ride much easier. Well, it made sense since with how people learned in the classroom then they probably didn't need licensing since people knew the information was directly implanted into people's minds. He couldn't really complain since it meant that he could get the ride he needed as a Kamen Rider and this seemed to be the way to do it. "Okay, let's go and get this over with. I don't want to give Haruka a chance to bust us as being Riders."

"Oh, just relax," said Rubeus. "Nothing is gonna go wrong."

"And now something is _sure _to go wrong," Kyle remarked. "You just jinxed us man."

"Oh, quit your bitching so we and get you your bike," huffed Rubeus.

* * *

><p>Tenoh Motors was what Kyle expected in terms of designs as it was clean and immaculate like the rest of Crystal Tokyo. Of course, what set it apart from other businesses was its showroom which had bikes and automobiles lined up on display. Different models were put in display, showing people exactly what they were going to be purchasing. The bikes also had their stats on display in front of them with all the necessary and basic information...and price.<p>

"Whoa," said Kyle as he checked all the prices. He also admired the bikes. They were mostly sports bikes but there were also scooters as well. "You weren't kidding about this place."

"Yeah, we got our own rides here before we customized them," said Rubeus. "So, what exactly are you looking for?"

"Light, fast, and something good for off road travel," said Kyle. The Undead were likely to pop up just about anywhere. A ride would have to be capable of getting anywhere. Even if by transforming the bike into the Shadow Chaser made it better through augmentation, he decided to err on the side of caution and get a good bike to act as a base.

A female dealer came up them, wearing a suit, and grinned, "Welcome, gentlemen. How may I assist you?"

"My friend here is looking for a motorbike," said Safir.

"Well you've come to the right place. Tenoh Motors offers you a wide range of vehicles. Do you have any specifications? Price range? Model?" she asked.

"Well," Kyle began. "I was looking for something fast, but maneuverable. I also want to have it able to handle a number of terrains. Do you have anything like that?"

"Certainly!" the saleswoman nodded. Gesturing the group to follow, she brought them to a display of what looked like a pure white street bike that was streamlined and of course white to match everything else in Crystal Tokyo with the mechanics being covered by the stylish body. "This is the CT 0807 Comet. It's just come out of development and is released to the public for sale. Not many people have had a chance to buy it yet because it's so new. We're actually holding a special offer for all of the people after it. The first twenty buyers receive a warranty good for two years on any repairs that it may need during that time."

"Wow," Kyle couldn't help but admire.

"It's the fastest model of motorcycle Tenoh Industries has developed to date," the saleswoman continued. "The control is top notch too, easily able to handle the top speeds around any number of corners. The suspension is also capable of handling any number of bumps of jostles. I would say that this is perfect for your needs."

"Cool. I might just trade mine in." Rubeus admired.

"Ditto," Demand agreed.

"Seems that this is just what we're looking for," Safir nodded before looking to the saleswoman. "We'll take it."

"Hey, guys, isn't this supposed to be _my _decision?" asked Kyle. He turned to the saleswoman and asked, "Could I possibly get a chance to give it a test drive first?"

"All our vehicles have been properly tested, but the customer is always right. I'll need to ask my manager for permission first," she said.

"That would be swell," said Kyle.

A half hour later, the group was brought to a test track that was located near the dealership. The Comet was waiting for them as was the saleswoman and her manager. Both were smiling as they presented the machine for Kyle's inspection.

"Enjoy yourself," the saleswoman smiled. "I know you will be most pleased." She handed him the keys for the ignition.

"I hope so," said Kyle as he put on his helmet and mounted the bike. He grasped the key before putting it into the ignition. He twisted it to start the ignition and he kicked up the kick stand before revving up the engine. The bike vibrated and the engine growled like a wild beast preparing to pounce and Kyle could almost feel like this bike was made for him. As a Rider, he had foreknowledge of riding. The skills he learned from his transformation into Chalice helping adapt him to the situation. Gripping the handlebars tight, he gave the engine another rev before shooting down the track.

"Damn, that's fast!" exclaimed Rubeus.

"We better stand on the side," advised Safir. "For safety."

"Yeah, we don't want Kyle to accidentally run us over," agreed Demand.

The group relocated to the sides so they could watch in safety. Kyle's control over the machine was very good, both in part thanks to his skill over the machine and the precise control the machine allotted itself. Kyle himself though he was riding on a smooth wave that barely needed any guidance at all to move where he wanted. He barely had driven the thing and he was already sold on it. After only five laps around the track before returning to the beginning of the track.

"Oh yes," Kyle grinned. "I'm sold. We'll take it."

"Splendid!" the saleswoman smiled. "I just knew you'll be satisfied with your purchase. Shall we go do the paperwork?"

"I'll go since it's a gift for my friend," Safir volunteered.

* * *

><p>It wasn't a difficult process. Safir just needed to read the contract, the forms, and fill in the important details before the bike could be properly purchased. While bought under Safir's name, it was Kyle's by ownership. It kind of blew Kyle's mind at how his friends were so loaded, but considering they were the descendants of the Black Moon Family of Nemesis, they likely had some cash to their names. With how those members dressed and sported gems to create Droids they likely cashed in their reserves after they mellowed out. He kind of felt bad having them buy him the thing, but his friends had a way of rationalizing it to make him feel better about it.<p>

"Alright, I guess I can officially be known as a Rider now, huh?" Kyle smiled.

"Now all three of us have rides," Rubeus grinned. "Now you'll never be late to the battle again."

"Seriously, please stop," Kyle groaned. "That joke got old really fast."

Rubeus just chuckled as the group wheeled the Comet to the street. Kyle was looking forward to driving the thing back to the dorms so he could show it off and brag to the girls about it. Well, they likely wouldn't care but he couldn't brag to the guys since they were already there when he got it and he had to brag to someone!

Mounting the machine and reaching for the keys, Kyle froze when he was assaulted by the sudden rush that an active Undead gave off. His vision turned grainy as he saw images of pipes, pressure valves, and the sounds of rushing water assaulted his ears, nearly covering the sounds of the Undead's growling as it hid itself in the shadows of the pipe systems.

"Kyle!" Demand cried, grabbing his friend's shoulder, ending the vision.

"Guh!" Kyle gasped, coming back to himself. Shaking his head, he looked to his friends, "Undead. It's in a place where there's lot's of pipes and valves. There's water, lots of it. Is there anyplace like that?"

"Pipes and water?" frowned Rubeus.

"That doesn't sound familiar," Demand shook his head.

Safir pondered for a moment, but then he began to pale, "The water treatment facility!" All eyes snapped to Safir when he said the words, premonitions of doom following his their gazes. Biting his lip, Safir spoke, "Crystal Tokyo's water supply comes from the ice created by the Big Freeze being melted and pumped into the water systems of the city. Massive chunks of ice are shipped inside and melted down into tanks and then treated before entering the city. It's likely the only place in the entire city where one can find pipes and water together unless one goes into the sewer. Did the vision look like a sewer."

Kyle immediately shook his head, "No...the pipes looked clean and pristine, not like the kind of place I would have attributed to a sewer."

"So it's in the treatment facility," Saffir nodded. He looked to Demand and Rubeus, "I'll go with Kyle to show him the way. You two get your bikes and I'll send directions to you while we're on the way!"

"Right!" the two nodded, running in the direction of the campus. The dealership was in walking distance, but the facility was located on the edge of the city and far away from where anyone would see it and the not-so-pretty operation that went on inside of it. After all, in Crystal Tokyo if it wasn't visually pleasing then it shouldn't be seen.

Safir jumped onto the machine behind Kyle, allowing his friend to hit the ignition and bring the bike to life with a loud roar. Gunning the accelerator, the pair were off like a shot down the street.

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Palace<strong>

Ami was holed up in her room furiously scanning through the data streams of her Mercury Computer scanning for any kind of signal for the monster responsible for the poisoning of so many people at the resort. So far the remaining victims that hadn't died from it managed to hold on for the time being but they likely wouldn't be able to last much longer without a cure. So Ami was on the prowl, searching every energy signature she knew to try and find the monster as well as monitoring communication, media, and other streams for any mentions of the monster.

Tapping a few commands, she was suddenly alerted to an intruder inside the water treatment facility. Frowning, she brought up the alert which included security cameras. It had taken forever to convince the queen that it was important since the facility was the only source of clean water the city had and they didn't quite have the resources to build a new one yet.

The camera feeds came up and immediately Ami felt her face pale. Smashing through one of the doors to the facility was one of the monsters that plagued their loving city. From the image of the monster, it was the same one that had attacked the resort earlier. Apparently it had recovered from the battle with the Riders earlier in the day.

Ami didn't hesitate as she pulled out her compact communicator from her pocket and began to alert all of her friends.

They had to capture this monster before it was too late!

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Tokyo Water Treatment Facility<strong>

With directions from Safir, Kyle drove up to the very fringes of Crystal Tokyo where the source of the city's fresh water came from. As far as the eye could see, only barren crystal wasteland was visible. He couldn't call it frozen since that would imply snow but the ice was so pristine it looked like glass rather than frozen water. Kyle also noticed that there didn't seem to be any other facilities which were made for reclaiming water or expanding the city. There was just the water treatment facility and it was being covered up by more crystal.

"Doesn't the city even try to expand itself?" asked Kyle, dismounting his machine.

"Serenity doesn't even bother," Safir shook his head. "Nevermind the bodies of those who died in the Big Freeze who deserve to be put to rest, trying to reclaim some more land for the city and expand the plant life that remained, what resources might still be usable, the city's grown enough so she doesn't think it's all that important to go looking in the ice."

"Because that's not how it works in fairytales," Kyle frowned. "God, she is such a little kid. Queen Serenity would be rolling in her grave if she could see this crap." How the hell had she managed to keep the city collapsing on itself by pulling all this naive crap? Oh, the people didn't know any better and the other Senshi probably did a lot of it for her. They always seemed to be way more talented than her beyond friendship speeches and magic.

"Incompetence aside, don't you have an Undead to hunt?" asked Safir, gesturing to the building.

"Yeah," Kyle nodded, slightly worried since he wasn't seeing any chaos from the building that an Undead attack would signal. willing the Chalice Buckle to his waist, he withdrew the Ace of Hearts before slashing it through, "Henshin."

"**Change!**"

The static energy field enveloped Kyle and donned him in the armor of Kamen Rider Chalice. Breathing softly, the Rider approached the facility, reaching for one of the doors that were barely visible thanks to the white colouring that matched the crystal covering. Neo Serenity really didn't want people to know where the less than artistic buildings were unless she had to.

Opening the door, Chalice slipped inside, seeing a building filled with pipes and hissing noises. Closing the door behind him allowed those sounds to amplify, making him feel like he was trapped in another world. Nothing was the bright and sunny Crystal Tokyo and only a few lights were producing illumination, casting shadows all over the place.

Could there be a more ominous place to work?

chalice began ducking around the pipes, looking for doorways or some stairs to take him to other parts of the facility. There were no people around so that either meant that the place was mostly automated or the people were dead and the bodies were stashed elsewhere. The lack of blood made the latter theory not as plausible, but with the Undead it was possible.

Passing through the room, he finally found the exit behind a steel door. Fortunately, it wasn't locked. Opening it, he passed through into a much larger room. He stepped onto a walkway which was suspended in the air high above the ground. Glancing to the right, he saw what looked like a giant funnel sticking into a massive steel tank, splashes of water coming out from the bottom of said funnel. Above it and suspended by what looked like a ring of floating ice which was big enough to match a two storey house. It was dwarfed by the room, but it was still big to him. Lowering fro the ceiling were what looked like giant blow dryers, fanning the iceberg with their warmth and sending a steady stream of water down the icy surface to drizzle into the funnel. Behind the melting chunk were more icebergs following the same process with more funnels leading into tanks behind them, melting at a rapid rate.

"_At least industry isn't completely dead,_" Chalice muttered to himself.

He continued on, looking for any sign of the Undead hiding in the building. With how silent the surroundings were, he feared he could be dealing with one of the Undead with stealth abilities like the Gel Jellyfish or the Thief Chameleon. Journeying over the catwalk and ignoring the chill of being near the ice he continued his search. Finding a set of stairs, he travelled down to the bottom floor next to the giant tanks of water. Checking his surroundings, he saw more doors leading to other parts of the facility. Slipping through, Chalice entered another set of chambers that he noticed the pipes from the tanks were slipping through the walls. Coming into the room, he spotted the pipes from the tank behind him entering a machine, likely used to purify the water and get any toxins out of it and make it safe for use.

Following the pipes, Chalice found another exit and entered what looked like a reservoir, a catwalk circling around a giant tank of water with pipes funneling water inside of it, causing the level to slowly rise. Walking across the catwalk, he still didn't see any people around, wondering if possibly the place was fully automated since Serenity didn't want any of her people working the 'unappealing' jobs in her city.

Walking past a set of pipes, Chalice looked out to the rest of the catwalk before he froze. At the opposite end, looking over the reservoir next to a control panel was the missing Centipede Undead. Rather than prowling like an Undead normally would by attacking anything that moved, it was looking down into the water and actually spewing a stream of neon blue fluid out of it's mouth into the water, turning it a cloudy blue.

'_It's poisoning the water!_' Chalice's eyes widened. Summoning the Chalice Arrow, he took aim and drew back his arm before firing a bolt through the air. The bolt's aim was true, striking the Undead in the side and knocking the monster aside in a shower of sparks and green blood. The beast snarled and scrambled back up to its feet, turning to snarl at Chalice. The mantis Rider charged, the two combatants' crashing into one another. Chalice pivoted on the spot and pushed the Centipede Undead away before kicking it in the abdomen, knocking it into a wall. He quickly ran to the edge of the catwalk to see the extent of the poison, already seeing the neon blue cloud in the water spreading to a sizable amount. Despite how much the cloud was spreading, the density of the cloud wasn't getting any thinner.

"_It's not diluting,_" Chalice frowned. In such a large body of water you'd expect any kind of liquid to dilute to a certain degree but the Centipede Undead's venom wasn't following that pattern. If the water was allowed to enter the city, there was no telling how many people would be poisoned!

"_Gotta stop it!_" Chalice muttered. Looking to the console nearby, he ran over to it and began looking over the buttons. His eyes landed on a bright red button which was surrounded by a yellow and black barrier. Chalice reached to press the button, hoping that it would be what he needed to drain the water. Before he could actually touch the button though, the Centipede Undead leaped at the Rider's back, knocking the both of them to the ground in a heap once again.

Chalice grunted and punched at the Undead's side, making it grunt. A few more punches managed to loosen its grip and allowing Chalice to roll the Undead off of him and kick it away. Getting to his feet, Chalice grabbed his bow and ran for the console once again, but the Undead was determined. It produced a chain and threw it at Chalice, wrapping it around his torso before a sharp tug threw Chalice through the air and sending him crashing into the far wall, landing on the catwalk.

"_Guh!_" Chalice grunted. Shaking in his bonds, he managed to loosen the chains before the Centipede Undead could throw him for another loop. Unfortunately, he had dropped his weapon when he had been snagged so he couldn't rouze any cards. It seemed that he was going to have to do it the only fashioned way instead.

"_Hope you enjoyed your reprieve the last time,_" Chalice growled clenching his fists. "_Because it's not going to happen again!_" Bellowing out a battle cry, he charged down the walkway for the Centipede Undead once again.

"Hold it!"

Twin blurs came down between Chalice and the Centipede Undead, revealing them to be the forms of Sailor Mars and Sailor Mercury, back to back as one of each stared down both Undead and Rider. More sounds of movement from above announced Venus and Jupiter as they landed on the railing of the walkway above.

"Foul villains who threaten the clean water of our people," Mars frowned.

"Prepare to face justice for tampering with humanity's well-being!" Mercury finished.

"For we the protectors of this city will not stand for it!" added Venus.

"Now face your punishments!" agreed Jupiter.

"_Oh spare me,_" Chalice sighed. Looking to Mercury, he decided to try and fix one situation before dealing with the Undead, "_Listen, that Undead has poisoned the water here! You have to purge the water before it gets sent to the city and poisons everyone!_"

"What?-!" Mercury gasped, her eyes widening in shock. She turned her back to Chalice to view the water reservoir below, easily taking notice of the cloudy water that was still spreading. Gasping again, she looked to her friend, "Mars!"

"Right!" Mars agreed. Glaring at the Undead, she pressed her fingers together, "_Fire Soul!_" The fireball soared from her fingers and crashed into the Centipede Undead, making cinders flew from it's chest from the impact and it stumbled back, but as expected in seemed to recoil from the fire itself rather than in any actual damage.

"_You girls want the sample to make an antidote, right?_" Chalice questioned. "_The venom gland is in that centipede head on its body. Cut it off and you have enough of a sample to cure everyone that's been poisoned._"

"That's all I need to hear!" Jupiter frowned. Bringing her hands together, she formed a disc of electricity, "_Sparkling Wide Thunder!_" Rearing back her arm, she threw the concentrated thunder at the Centipede Undead. The beast witnessed the attack coming and dodged around it, spitting two globs of venom at the pair of Senshi forcing Venus and Jupiter to leap aside before they got infected with the venom as well.

"_We don't have time for this!_" Chalice growled. Charging ahead, he actually leaped over Mars and Mercury before charging at the Undead, scooping up his Chalice Arrow as he went. Crossing the distance, he slashed the Undead across the chest and grabbed hold of its shoulder to knee it in the gut. The Undead went staggering back from the blow.

Chalice removed his Rouzer and connected it to his Chalice Arrow before taking a card from the card holder mounted on his belt. He slashed it through.

"**Bio**!"

Vines shot of the Chalice Arrow and bound the Centipede Undead. The Rider gave a pull and yanked the Undead clear off of its feet and smashed it into another section of the wall, making it spew blood from its mouth before it dropped back onto the catwalk.

"Hey!" Jupiter cried out. "Careful! We need that venom sample!"

"_Instead of arguing with how I do things in your fairytale world, why don't you all do something useful and purge the water here?_" Chalice snapped back. "_I don't want to have to hear about how you all let people get poisoned because you were too busy gawking over how I fight!_"

It was a rude thing to say for sure, but after having to deal with the majority of the Senshi whining at him about how violent he was or simply posturing while he and the other Riders were risking their lives Chalice just didn't have the patience to deal with them in the middle of a fight.

Mars looked ready to lose her temper once again, but Mercury pushed past her and ran up to the console. She immediately produced her Mercury Computer and plugged it into the system. because she didn't know how to use the console, she had to have the computer give her a readout on it's functions so to tell her how to purge the water. Typing in a few commands, she found the routine she was looking for.

"Here!" she called, slapping the large red button Chalice had eyed earlier. Several alarms began blaring as red warning lights began to light up the area. below them, several holes in the bottom of the tank opened and the water began to be drained out of the room, taking the cloudy poisoned water with it. The sounds of sucking water overpowered all other noise as Chalice and the Centipede Undead continued to fight.

"_Hyah!_" Chalice bellowed, slashing the Undead and making it stumble backwards. "_Hold still!_"

"_Crescent Beam!_"

"_Fire Soul!_"

"_Supreme Thunder!_"

Chalice bit back a curse as he dodged three attacks that came from behind, feeling the heat from the Crescent Beam scorch his shoulder before the Undead took the brunt of it. Once again, it stumbled back with some singed armour and slight burns but it otherwise it didn't seem too bothered by the assaults. It was pissed off, but otherwise unhurt. Once again it seemed the Senshi still expected to be winning because of who they were rather than actually wanting to win like they did in the past.

"_Watch it!_" Chalice snapped. "_You want to get the sample or blow us both up?_"

"You're a radical element," Mars sniffed. "Bringing you in along with that creature is just a bonus!"

"_Whatever,_" Chalice shook his head. He charged for the Undead once again. This time he added a card to complement his next attack, slashing it through the Rouzer in mid-charge.

"**Chop!**"

Absorbing the power of the card, he drew his hand back and performed a karate chop aimed at the centipede head mounted on the Undead's body. The chunk of its body was broken off and the Undead shrieked in pain as a piece of it was forcefully removed. Chalice caught the venom gland in his hand and smiled. "_Gotcha._"

The Centipede Undead snarled, blood dripping from its appendage before it charged at Chalice once again. Chalice, now needing no reason to hold back, quickly stopped holding back. Grabbing the railings of the walkway, he lifted himself up and kicked the Undead in the face with both feet. A soft krack noise could be heard as the Undead was launched off it's feet from the force. The Centipede Undead fell backwards, tumbling down a set of stairs which led down to a lower level before it crashed to the concrete floor at the bottom.

"Is it beaten?" asked Jupiter.

"_Not yet," _Chalice muttered. "_Catch,_" he tossed the centipede head to the Senshi of Jupiter, making her squawk in disgust as she juggled the item, trying not to touch too much of it. Chalice moved to the top of the metal stairs, seeing the Centipede Undead beginning to recover from its tumble. Drawing another pair of cards, he slashed them through his Rouzer.

"**Tornado! Drill! Spinning Attack!**"

Chalice leaped from the top of the stairs, moving into a kick position before he began spinning at high speeds in the middle of a tornado. Gravity took care of the rest as the Rider came down, smashing directly into the Undead's chest. The beast gave out a screech of pain before it's power failed an exploded, leaving a ring of fire around it. Chalice ended the attack, standing with one foot on top of the Undead's chest. A soft snap brought Chalice's eyes to the belt buckle, showing a number 10 and heart symbols to symbolize it's defeat.

"_This time for sure,_" Chalice muttered, drawing a Proper Blank before dropping it onto the Undead's chest. The entire creature turned green, it's body losing substance under Chalice's foot before being drawn into the card. A flash completed the process before it flew up into Chalice's hand, revealing a metal centipede with inter-changeable body sections, Shuffle Centipede.

The sounds of boots on metal from above turned Chalice's attention to the stairs, revealing the Senshi. Jupiter still had the piece of the Centipede Undead in her hands, fortunately with the cut end pointed up so none of the fluids were dripping out onto the ground. Chalice looked away from the four former heroines and saw that the reservoir was empty and beginning to fill up with clean water again. It made him heave a sigh of relief, knowing that the poison had been purged from the pipeworks.

"_Well, time for me to go_," said Chalice as he prepared to run away. With the Centipede Undead sealed, he had no reason to stay and he wanted to get far from the Senshi before they tried to capture him again. They wouldn't stand a chance of capturing him but they couldn't waste their time with him. Making an antidote from the Centipede Undead's venom took priority. He would be alive and well tomorrow, the victim of the Centipede Undead's venom likely wouldn't.

Giving a swift salute to the Senshi, he dashed for the door, barrelling through it before they could try and make any kind of protest. Oddly enough, he didn't hear any of their voices.

* * *

><p>The aftermath of the attack was felt by the city. Water had to be rationed for a little while as the reservoir had to refill after the purging of the last source. Fortunately, the bad news was overshadowed by the good news that a cure to the venom of the Centipede Undead was found with the pure sample that was provided by the Senshi. All of the victims who managed to survive the Centipede Undead's initial assault were on the road to recovery once they were provided with the anti-venom. They were all expected to make a full recovery from their illnesses.<p>

Inside the cafeteria of their school, the Riders and allies were looking over the reports on the local newspaper.

"Funny how they never mention Chalice being the one to get that sample and beat the Undead," Esmeraude frowned.

"Ah, who cares?" Kyle shrugged. "We'll just publish my account of it in the next issue," Kyle's face then took on a grin as he glanced at Demand and Rubeus. "Maybe the Senshi would have had to admit we were involved if there was more than one Rider though."

"Oh shut up," Rubeus growled. "It's not our fault Safir's directions were crap and we got lost."

"My instructions were very precise I'll have you know," Safir smirked.

"You were the one who insisted to lead and then got lost and didn't want to ask him for the directions again since you deleted the message 'for the sake of secrecy'," Demand grinned. "And then I had to come find you since you were so far ahead of me."

Rubeus began muttering darkly under his breath, not looking at any of his very amused friends. Kyle just continued to laugh as he glanced at the paper. Part of him was still worried about what the Centipede Undead had been doing in the facility. It wasn't like one of the lower Undead to just simply decide to go poison a city. Their style was to pretty much fight and kill anything that moved. There was no way the Centipede Undead would just up and decide to poison the city's water supply. That took more planning that a lower Undead had the ability to commit to.

A Royal Class Undead though was easily capable of planning a move. Both Rubeus and Demand had said that something had rescued the Centipede Undead at the resort and the blue feathers were a giveaway. Isaka the Peacock Undead had likely ordered the Centipede Undead to do what it did, but what was the point? The Isaka he knew was cunning and always had a plan. The last time he was out he had the Leangle System built so he could have the 'Ultimate Rider' to win him the Battle Fight without lifting a finger. If he was behind the Centipede Undead's attack, then what was the point? Was it just out of maliciousness or was it something more?

* * *

><p><strong>?<strong>

Inside a darkened room, there was only one figure in black staring at a computer screen. Playing across the screen was security footage from the water treatment facility. All through the video it showed the Centipede Undead sneaking inside, killing whoever it came across before stashing the bodies, and then reaching the reservoir before beginning to pump its potent venom into it. After that Chalice appeared before the Senshi and the Undead was soon defeated and sealed.

The man didn't really mind that the Centipede had been defeated. He had served his purpose. The man now had what he wanted, something to truly panic the people of the city and something to make his claim for.

"Now, off to see the queen," he smirked.

A gust of wind blew in from an open window, kicking up blue feathers to swirl around the room before floating back down to the floor.

**To Be Continued...**

A/N: I know, I know, it's been awhile but instead of flaming me for it can we all be nice and just enjoy an update?


	12. Turn 12

I do not own Kamen Rider or Sailor Moon. They belong to their respective creators and not me. I am only writing this for fun and not for any sort of profit. I hope you all enjoy the chapter and keep staying faithful to the fics.

**Kamen Rider Chalice: Crystal City Chronicles**

**By Ten-Faced Paladin**

**Turn 12: Spider's Trump, the Ace of Clubs' Final Plot!**

Day to day life in Crystal Tokyo had become quiet since the attack of the Centipede Undead at the water treatment facility. No new Undead had appeared since then and it allowed the Riders to try and get some rest even on the odd days where they would train to try and get better at fighting or get better at moving about in the armour. Kyle still had an advantage over Demand and Rubeus since his armour was part of the Mantis Undead's body while the armour the other two used was an add on rather than anything natural.

On this particular day, Topazu was walking through one of the stores of Crystal Tokyo, looking at various computer programs that were for sale. She skipped the games section which were all about happy, fuzzy, love and justice and more of Crystal Tokyo's propaganda about how Serenity always knew best. What the blonde's attention was focused on was tracking programs, things which would allow the user to follow something.

Since no new Undead were appearing, the group of radicals had decided to try and figure out a way to detect Undead when they attacked. So far, only Kyle could really sense them thanks to his abilities as Chalice but he couldn't be around the others all the time to let them know when an attack was coming. They needed another way to track an Undead attack so that way they could coordinate the Riders to try and get to it faster so they could beat it.

Topazu was in charge of collecting computer programs that they could use to operate tracking systems. Since they didn't know what to look for when an Undead attacked, she had been asked to get a variety of them so they could begin testing on what would work best. Esmeraude was working to get the hardware for the detectors that they would need while Amethyst was working to try and make the program that they would need to track Undead properly.

While most girls in Crystal Tokyo would have screamed in horror at the thought of fighting monsters like the Riders did, Topazu thought that it was something exciting to do. She always was a bit of a rough and tumble girl. Her mother had been ready to pull her hair out after the number of times that she'd heard that her daughter had gotten herself into some kind of unladylike trouble. The only thing that she seemed to approve of Topazu doing was to begin dating a boy like Safir who at least in public seemed like a perfectly normal law-abiding citizen. Of course the woman would throw a fit if she discovered that Safir supported a few radical ideas and supported the Riders in their efforts.

Of course, Topazu knew why Safir threw so much support behind the Riders, using his finances to buy the printing press that made The Radical and funding their shopping trips for their attempts to make an Undead detection program. Safir and Demand were as close as brothers and rarely did one go off to do something without the other. With Demand being Kamen Rider Blade, it left Safir behind to try and support other ways than directly watching his friend's back. He'd once confessed to the blonde that he hoped that when the Ace of Clubs was sealed, he'd be able to use it to become the last Rider. He hated not being able to help Demand when he was out risking his life. So Safir showed his support in other ways until he could try to use the Ace of Clubs.

And Topazu would be there to support him too.

* * *

><p>The day wore on and sank into night, leaving the good people of Crystal Tokyo to do whatever fun things that they were permitted to do. The radical elements in the city simply went and did whatever they wanted which counted as amusement to dancing to radical music or something else which would be considered extreme and had to be culled for the peace of Crystal Tokyo to continue.<p>

This night, at the university's track and field area the Riders were in attendance with their four supporters. Esermaude, Topazu, and Amethyst were at a table with a computer set up on it with a number of sensory equipment connected to it. All three of the girls were watching the screen religiously. At the side, Rubeus, Safir, and Demand were all seated, Rubeus actually holding up a camera to view the incoming action. Off in the grass on his own was Kyle with his Chalice Buckle wrapped around his waist.

"Okay," Amethyst called to Kyle. "Everything's ready. Go ahead and transform Kyle."

"Right," Kyle nodded, drawing the Ace of Hearts. "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

Kyle slashed the card through the buckle, transforming him into Kamen Rider Chalice. Once the change was complete, he looked to the girls. "_Anything?_"

"Well, thermal changed a little bit. You seem to run hot," Topazu answered, looking at the readings.

"Don't really see any energy readings that are sticking out," Esmeraude bit her lip. "We're trying on every magical wavelength we can think of too. No wonder the Senshi are having such a hard time finding the Undead on their own. They avoid detection from all the common sources."

"Then it's a good thing we're radical enough to look at different ways," Amethyst nodded. "Okay Kyle, try using that Remote Tapir to unseal an Undead and let's see if a real Undead has any different readings."

"_Right,_" Chalice nodded. Reaching to the card holder at his side, he drew two cards in question, the Remote Tapir and Bio Plant. He then attached his buckle into the Chalice Arrow, turning it into a Rouzer. He then slashed the club card through it.

"**Remote!**"

Chalice took the Bio Plant card and threw it through the air before pointing the Remote Tapir at it. A beam of energy shot out from the face of the card and struck the Bio Plant card. The image of the Bio Plant lifted off the card into the air, leaving the Proper Blank to fall to the ground. The image of the Bio Plant lifted up into the air before the Plant Undead itself dropped through it and onto the ground.

"Nice!" Rubeus admired, filming away. "We can totally use this to train somewhere! If we fight an Undead that gives us trouble and seal it, we can use this to train!"

"Good idea," Safir nodded, but then turned his attention to the ladies. "Anything?"

"No. Just higher than normal thermal readings," Amethyst shook her head. "Okay Kyle, it looks like we're going to have to move into phase three."

"_*sigh* Okay,_" Chalice nodded. He then looked out at the still immobile Plant Undead. "_Plant Undead, fight me!_" The effect was instant as the Undead hissed and charged at Chalice with it's tendril arm raised for a strike.

"This is awesome! The subscribers will love it," Rubeus grinned, watching the battle unfold between Chalice and the Plant Undead. The Radical never really had live footage of the Riders fighting against the Undead anywhere.

Amethyst winced as she watched the Plant Undead claw Chalice's chest, knocking him back a few steps. Trying not to disrupt the test though, she began to look at all of the readouts on the sensors that they had set up.

"I think we're onto something," Esmeraude spoke up, tapping a few keys and bringing up one of the readouts. "Look at this." Topazu, Demand, and Safir crowded around the computer next to her and behind Amethyst to see what was going on. The screen on the computer had enlarged a nearly black feed which had the dark images of Chalice and the Plant Undead striking at one another, but some kind of green gas rising up from their bodies. It was invisible to the naked eye, but to the sensor they were using, it was as bright as day.

"What is that?" asked Demand.

"It's a pheromone, for lack of a better word," Esmeraude explained. "The minute those two started fighting it began to come off of their bodies."

"It's not all that confusing," Topazu shrugged. "Animals in nature give off pheromones to attract mates or mark their territory. The Undead probably give off one of their own when they start fighting so to let more Undead know where they are. Didn't Kyle once say that the Undead were made to fight? Maybe that was how they found each other?"

"Might explain how Kyle can sense when an Undead begins to attack," Safir pondered. "With his partial Undead powers, he can sense an Undead attacking based off of this pheromone. His connection with the Undead likewise creates an image for him to follow so he knows where to go."

"Well, it's possible I guess but it seems like there should be so much more to it than just some pheromone," Demand scratched his head.

"Well, I guess that's all we need," Amethyst interjected before looking to Chalice, "Okay! We found what we need! You can seal it again!"

"_Finally!_" Chalice grunted, slugging the Plant Undead away with a punch to the face. Quickly reaching to his belt he plucked out two cards from the case and brought them to his Rouzer.

"**Chop! Tornado! Spinning Wave!**"

The images of the card appeared before being absorbed into Chalice's armour. The effect was instant as wind began to whip around his free hand. The Plant Undead recovered from the last strike and charged at Chalice again with it's tendrils raised once again. It swung wide at him, prompting Chalice to duck under the blow before he came back up and struck the Plant Undead across the face with his attack, sending it sprawling away with a screech of pain. It landed on the ground before a soft snapping noise announced it's defeat, thankfully without exploding.

Sighing, Chalice glanced at the ground where the Proper Blank had fallen and plucked it up. Holding it between his fingers, he tossed it at the Plant Undead, hitting it squarely in the chest. Like that day he arrived in Crystal Tokyo so long ago, the Undead was turned to green energy and sucked into the card before flying back into Chalice's hand. Like before it held the image of a metallic snarling plant with twin tendrils coming out of it. shaking the stiffness of his muscles, Chalice slipped the card into his case before drawing out another. Replacing the buckle on his belt, he slashed the card through.

"**Spirit!**"

Chalice's armour dissolved in favour of his true identity of Kyle Jones. Sticking his hands in his pockets, he walked up to his friends who were concluding their testing, "So how is it?"

"Pure gold!" Rubeus grinned, saving the footage on his camera. "The subscribers will love it!"

"Great," Kyle rolled his eyes. "And the tests?"

"It seems like even thought he Undead don't give off any magic signal that the other monsters like Youma would, thy do give off some kind of battle pheromone that seems to come out when they fight," Topazu answered. "We think it's how the Undead find each other after they give those brain flashes you get when they initially show up."

"Huh, news to me," Kyle blinked. As far as he knew, the organization BOARD used some kind of satellite surveillance system to keep an eye out for any of the Undead that were running around. Then again, there had to be something that triggered it when the Undead began to fight rather than see them when they began to approach their targets.

"Is it something we can track?" asked Safir.

"Maybe," Esmeraude shrugged. "Technically we could if we can place sensors at certain parts of the city to test the air and see if that pheromone is in the air. This kind of sensor is made to search for air pollution and the like so bigger ones are available. Getting them won't be a problem either but placing them might be hard."

"Why?" asked Rubeus.

"Because we'll need to place them at the right spots so no one will notice them but at the same time be able to properly give readouts so we can tell if there's an Undead or not," Esmeraude shot a look at Rubeus. "Then we'd have to place each one for maximum space around the city so we can get the most out of them."

"All this without looking suspicious for the Crystal Guard to pick us up," Kyle frowned.

"Oh," Rubeus nodded. "Man, that's going to be tough."

"No kidding," Topazu frowned. "Well, it's not like we don't have the time to try and figure out a solution."

"Which is good since this is going to take some thought," Safir agreed.

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Palace<strong>

The air around the palace was tense. Although there had been a good mood in the air when the anti-venom of the Centipede Undead had been created and saved many lives, the underlying threat had become much more severe. The last attack had happened at the water treatment facility and the monster had tried to poison all of Crystal Tokyo with it's venom. It was a marked shift from the usual kill-as-they-went plan that most of the other Undead had used. It was now showing signs of intelligence that few of the monsters had shown before.

And that was nothing but bad.

Usa knew that much, but once again she was being kept out of the loop since she was considered' too young and sensitive' to be part of the proceedings as the Senshi conferred what to do now. Of course, Usa knew those meetings by heart. The Outers or mainly Haruka would demand more aggression when dealing with the Undead but that would just boil down to stronger spells despite being shown again and again that their current system of magic wasn't working. The Inners would make several suggestions and everyone would confer with Puu who already admitted she couldn't track the Undead before they would have the Crystal Guard increase patrols around sensitive areas.

"It's like we're avoiding doing anything but normal Youma standards with the Undead," Usa frowned. Since she wasn't permitted to be part of the conference, she was just wandering the halls of the castle. Once again, Hotaru was with her still serving out her 'punishment' by being at her side at all times.

"It's not like we have any idea what to do otherwise," Hotaru argued. "We can't track the Undead by any means and they don't exactly leave a trail anywhere they go. We were lucky enough to find that Centipede Undead when silent alarms tripped in the water treatment facility."

"Well we both have ideas on how to help but no one listens to us since we're still teenagers and we're too 'inexperienced' and 'naïve' to help out," Usa grumped. Sighing, she shook her head. "We can't keep going on like this. If we want to stop the Undead then we need the Riders' help."

"You know the others will never accept that," Hotaru replied. She left it unsaid that the Senshi all seemed to have way too much pride to accept help from anyone else. They had seen themselves more or less as the only ones who could protect Crystal Tokyo since they had founded it. Mix that and their nigh-obsession with order and positive and they likely would never ask the Riders for help.

Usa may have been a teenage girl, but she prided herself on not being like her mother during her own teenage years if she could help it. Yeah, being a little boy-crazy around Mamoru in the past, addicted to sweets, and maybe being a bit of a crybaby were traits that didn't seem to go away. But seeing how pathetic Usagi was in the past made Usa determined not to be that way…if only to avoid mortally embarrassing herself by slipping up in public or having the other Senshi tease her on how alike she and the Usagi of the past were.

As such, she was a dedicated student (so long as nothing distracted her) and she worked hard at her Senshi training in the past. Her experiences helped her develop the ability to make hard decisions and proactive in issues rather than simply ignoring them until they couldn't be avoided any longer. Well, the important issues anyway. Right now the important issue was the Undead and if her mother and the older Senshi were all content to go about the runaround thinking it would be like with Youma then as princess of Crystal Tokyo she would do something about it herself!

"I think it's high time we went out again Hotaru," Usa nodded resolutely.

"Usa-chan?" Hotaru blinked.

"We're going to find the Riders again, ask for their help, and work together to stop the Undead with or without Mama's permission!" the princess spoke before she turned to head down another hallway. She had a disguise to prepare!

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Tokyo – Streets<strong>

After much thinking and some work over the night, the group of radicals managed to piece together a plan to set up the sensors that would detect the Undead battle pheromone in the air and alert them to their position. The sensors would be strapped to various light posts, sides of buildings at a certain height, and even in some of the trees that were planted throughout the city. All of them were only at a certain elevation so they could still sense the pheromone but at the same time be high enough that no one would notice them.

The sensors were calibrated the sense the pheromone and if it was in a high enough concentration, indicating that an Undead was nearby and in a fighting mood then it would send an alert to all of the computers connected to it and the Riders would be alerted. It was a little slapshod for a computer and warning system but when the next Undead attack was as random as the lottery it paid to be quick when it came to creating such a system.

Kyle was in one of the main streets, standing on a ladder while attaching one of the sensors he was entrusted with to the top of a lamp post, ensuring that no one would see it. None of the civilians walking past asked him what he was doing or even looked up to wonder what he was doing on the ladder. As far as they were concerned, if it didn't directly affect them then they didn't need to know. So long as no Crystal Guards were about, he could work with impunity.

"There," he smiled, finally securing the device. Switching the small solar-powered sensor on, he climbed down the ladder and reached for his backpack. Opening it, he pulled out a laptop before lifting the screen and bringing it out of sleep mode. Once the machine was warmed up, he opened the screen detailing the active sensors.

The screen depicted a green wire-frame expanse which had several green dots littered across it with details telling where they were. Now and then, another green dot would appear, indicating that another sensor had gone active. The only real blank space was the centre of the grid, the place where the Crystal Palace was situated. None of the radicals would likely be able to place a sensor near there since Crystal Guards would likely notice them and begin asking uncomfortable questions.

"Up and running," Kyle nodded. "Okay, the next sensor should be up somewhere around…"

FLASH!

Kyle suddenly lurched over as he felt a vision overtake him, bringing with it the sights of a park square with a statue of the Senshi in the middle of it all. He could see two sets of inhuman feet running about and causing chaos, their hisses and snarls of challenge overtaking the muted screams of innocent bystanders.

"Gnn!" Kyle grimaced, holding his head. He didn't need the headaches that went along with those stupid visions!

BEEP! BEEP! BEEP!

Kyle blinked and looked to the laptop once again, seeing that one of the sensors had begun flashing red on the screen before a pop-up window opened. It showed the location of the sensor as well as a readout of a near-black screen with two sources of green gas looking like they were clashing with each other as much as chasing other things.

"Well, at least it works in practice," Kyle grimaced. Catching the location as compared to his, he stuffed the laptop into his bag and slung it over his shoulder before running to his parked bike. Hopping on, he gunned the ignition before racing down the streets.

The location wasn't far, a memorial park dedicated to celebrating the struggles of the Senshi against the foes they faced on the road to establishing the 'utopia' known as Crystal Tokyo. Of course, a lot of the obedient people in the city considered it a great place to hang out and something everyone had to see at least once. The statue was a big impressive thing, but Kyle really wondered if it was necessary considering that the Senshi and Serenity were still alive and the city wasn't really as big as Tokyo so reminders of who the bigwigs weren't really needed.

Arriving at the park, Kyle saw that the party was already in full swing. Two Undead were indeed at the park and it looked like that they were fighting each other just as much as they were terrorizing the remaining living humans that were around. The first had black leather-like armour protecting it's torso and legs while it's arms were bare and coloured the same as calamari. The right arm had squid-like tentacles hanging fro the joint while it's arm ended in a hand that had long black claws. The left arm had a white shoulder pad with circular patterns on it like the suction cups on a tentacle. It's arm ended with a hand which ended in a black hand with tentacles extending from the wrist. The back hed a spade-like tentacle tip which looked almost like a cape. It's head was black and shaped like a squid's but had white tentacles coming out of the eye holes and two holes near the mouth. As with all of the Undead the ouroboros belt buckle was present.

The second Undead looked more insect-like. The upper torso had black armour covering it but the abdomen was segmented and coloured black and yellow. The arms were covered in more organic black and yellow armour, but the forearms had blac steel gauntlets covered in studs protruding harpoon-like weapons. The one on the right looked like it was made of steel but the one on the left looked like a bee's stinger. The legs looked like they had black steel on them, but the left thigh had the black and yellow armour while the shins had insect-like legs sticking out from them. On it's back were a pair of insect wings which were amber-coloured while it's face had the features of a bee, but forced onto the shape of a human face in the form of a mask. Like all Undead, the familiar belt buckle announced it's identity.

"Bee and Squid Undead," Kyle frowned, stepping off his bike and shrugging his backpack off. Normally a snarky one-liner would have been appropriate, but the situation looked far too gone for one. The park was half-destroyed with the statue being wiped out completely. The Squid Undead was suspending itself on a pair of large tentacles on it's back while two more were swiping at the Bee Undead or any humans it got near. The Bee Undead itself was buzzing through the air, jabbing at the Squid Undead whenever it could.

Kyle acted quickly, willing the Chalice Buckle to his waist before drawing the Ace of Hearts, "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

Kyle's image melted away to form that of Chalice as he charged towards the scene of the battle. Holding out a hand, he produced the Chalice arrow before he took a flying leap at the pair of quarrelling Undead. The Bee Undead came into range first, allowing Chalice to slash at it to great success with a strike across the torso. Both came down the ground, the Bee Undead crashing in a heap.

The Bee Undead buzzed angrily and leaped to it's feet, brandishing it's weapons. Chalice steadied himself and prepared to fight.

…and then the tentacle struck him.

It hit with the force of a freight train, sending Chalice crashing through the air before he actually smashed through what remained of the statue of Sailor Uranus. Hitting the ground, he rolled before pushing himself up to his feet with a groan. Shaking his head, he saw both the Squid and Bee Undead stalking towards him, ready for a fight.

"_Oh so now you two decide to work together,_" Chalice groaned.

Taking a stance, Chalice charged into the fray once again. He parried the attacks made by the Bee Undead before dodging strikes from the Squid Undead. As one of the tentacles crashed to the ground in attempts to hit him, he slashed at it, causing a wide gash and green blood to spill out. The Squid Undead screeched and faltered slightly, allowing Chalice the chance to leap back and begin firing up at the Squid Undead's body. Several of the shots struck true, making the Undead screech and stumble, crashing to the ground in a mess of white tentacles.

The Bee Undead moved to pick up the slack as it's comrade recovered, forcing Chalice to go on the defensive. Sparks flew as he blocked the Bee Undead's stingers clashed against the Chalice Arrow. The Undead's assault was heavy, making it appear that it had a chip on it's shoulder concerning Chalice. The Rider of Hearts grunted as blow after blow rained down to be blocked by his weapon of choice. Parrying one such blow, he twisted around the Bee Undead's body before smashing his elbow into it's head, causing it to stumble.

Chalice took the opportunity to reach to his card case to draw some of the Rouze Cards so he could strike down one of the Undead and hopefully seal them…

*THWIP!*

…or he would have were it not for the sudden appearance of a rope made from webbing suddenly wrapping around his neck. Chalice choked, dropping his weapon as he tried to grab at the webbing and tear it off. A sharp tug halted his attempt as he was thrown onto his back with another breath-stealing slam. The owner of the rope then began to pull on it once again, dragging Chalice across what remained of the park before he was lifted up into a tree. Chalice struggled, feeling his breath running short as he was suddenly conscripted into playing the hanging man.

"_Like a moth to the flame. You're so predictable Chalice,_" a dark voice spoke from higher in the tree.

A green and black blur leaped down from the branches, landing on the cobblestone ground in a slight crouch. Chalice's eyes widened behind his visor as his oxygen-deprived brain recognized the image of the Spider Undead.

The Ace of Clubs stood up and turned to regard Chalice almost like a critic regarding a piece of art. Behind him, the Bee and Squid Undead walked up behind him no longer showing any sort of aggression to one another. Chalice's mind let off a spark of disbelief as he realized that the whole attack had been yet another trap.

"_It took me some time, but I finally managed to bring my plan on track,_" the Spider Undead chuckled, slowly approaching the hanging Kamen Rider. "_The other defenders of this city have a bad habit of poking their noses where they don't belong._"

"_GHCK!_" Chalice choked out, still struggling with the webbing around his neck.

"_Don't bother. Not even your strength will cut that before I take what I want,_" the Spider Undead mocked, standing before Chalice. Reaching up, he grabbed Chalice's belt and opened the card case before drawing out all of the Rouze Cards that the Rider of Hearts had collected for his own suit and the Clubs.

"_Ah, I was hoping you would have a few of mine here,_" the Spider Undead nodded, flipping through the cards, but oddly enough tossing the ones it didn't want to the ground. "_Weak, useless, a nobody… Ah, here you are._" The Undead's grin seemed to widen as it picked out the Remote Tapir, Change Mantis, and Spirit Human cards. "_Now, let's slip you into something more comfortable,_" Taking the Spirit Human, the Spider Undead slashed it through Chalice's belt.

"**Spirit!**"

Chalice's armour melted away to reveal Kyle Jones, his face an uncomfortable shade of blue as he continued to tug and pull at the webbing that was holding him up.

"_Much better,_" the Spider Undead chuckled, tossing the Spirit Human card with the others on the ground. "_Now hold still…_"

Reaching up again, the Spider Undead this time removed the Rouzer from Kyle's Chalice Buckle with a sharp tug. Stepping away from the struggling young man, the Undead took a moment to admire the device, "_The power of Joker in the palm of my hand. Excellent!_"

The Spider Undead then pressed the Chalice Rouzer against it's own buckle, creating a green flash of light which blinded both of it's minions and Kyle himself. It had the bonus effect of causing a shockwave of power which shook the very earth, causing the web holding the young man up to snap and allowing him to drop to the ground in a coughing and wheezing heap. The Spider Undead's screech overtook all sounds though, causing the Bee and Squid Undead to cover their ears and back away as the emerald light continued to blind them.

The green light died down, allowing the Spider Undead to be seen once again. However, there was a slight difference. It's original buckle had been covered up by the Chalice Rouzer which was now green instead of red and had spider legs clamping it into place. Around the Undead's waist were metal spiders attached to one another, forming a belt.

"_Joker's power is now mine,_" the Spider Undead sneered. "_Now I will win the battle fight and make this world fit for habitation once again! My species will rule all!_"

Kyle grimaced, but could not speak.

The Spider Undead's victory speech was abruptly ended when the roars of twin motorcycles announced themselves. Turning, he and his two minions saw the forms of Demand and Rubeus approaching the scene on their bikes. Both skidded to a halt when they got to the scene, swiftly dismounting their machines and reaching for their personal buckles.

"_Ah, the last two arrive,_" the Spider Undead laughed. "_Perfect timing!_" Raising his hand, the Spider Undead revealed the Ace of Hearts before throwing it at the two Riders. Demand caught it easily, holding it next to his own Ace of Spades.

"Huh?" Rbeus frowned, poised to use his Ace of Diamonds. "What did he do that for?"

"_Let me show you,_" The Spider Undead grinned before it slashed the last card in it's hand through the Chalice Rouzer.

"R**eM**_**o**_**Te!**"

The voice of the Rouzer sounded warped, but it seemed to work just the same. The Spider Undead raised the Ten of Clubs before three purple beams shot out of it. The beams struck true, hitting each of the Aces square on their pictures. The cards leaped from Demand and Rubeus' hands, their pictures rising into the air as energy while the now blank cards fell to the ground. From the frames of energy emerged three familiar forms that dropped to the ground, landing on their feet like trained experts. Kyle, Rubeus, and Demand felt their guts sink when they found themselves staring at the forms of the Beetle, Stag Beetle, and Mantis Undead free from their prisons once more.

"No…" Kyle grimaced.

"Oh shit," Rubeus gaped, his eyes wide.

The Beetle and Stag Beetle Undead both snorted before lunging forward, smashing their fists into their previous wielders' chests. The pair were sent flying from the hits, impacting against the side of a set of trees before they slid to the ground in groaning heaps.

"_Now that the pests are out of the way, we have a Battle Fight to finish,_" the Spider Undead laughed, tossing the Remote Tapir away. He then looked at the three Aces that were now his servants. "_Bring this city to it's knees! Hunt down all of the other Undead! Make this city mine for the Kingdom of the Spiders to begin!_"

The three Category Ace Undead didn't give a verbal reply, being little more than puppets for the Spider Undead. Instead, they each drew their personal weapons and began to march out of the park and into the city streets. Kyle couldn't see them past that point, but he began to hear explosions and screams of people who noticed them. The Spider Undead chuckled and began to follow his minions, the Bee and Squid Undead taking up a march behind him.

* * *

><p>Usa and Hotaru had once again managed to sneak out of the Crystal Palace and into the streets of rystal Tokyo once again. They were disguised as a pair of schoolgirls, Usa once again hiding her hair while Hotaru only needed to wear a different uniform. Last time they went out they had only intended to find Chalice so they could figure out what was going on in their city. This time, Usa was bound and determined to find the Riders so they could begin concentrating their efforts on fighting and defeating the Undead.<p>

"Do you have any ideas on where we should be going?" asked Hotaru.

"Our best chance would be to try and find out where an Undead is first," Usa replied, her eyes looking out for anything odd. "That means going where there are a lot of people since the Undead seem to try and attack as many people as they can. If we find an Undead, then we find the Riders."

Hotaru nodded, seeing the logic. Whenever an Undead appeared, the Riders would show up not long after. The only flaw in that plan was finding an Undead since the Senshi currently had no way to track the movements of the monsters. Ami had tried every magical search she knew several times and came up with nothing. It was extremely frustrating to the bluenette since it was obvious that the Undead were magical but they didn't give off any sign of it.

Usa simply decided that she wasn't going to simply wait around and wait for the next Undead to show up. She was going to go out and find one and hopefully attract the Riders to her.

*BOOM!*

"Woah!" the pinkette cried, covering her ears to try and soothe the ringing sensation from the nearby explosion. Looking to the source, she saw a trail of smoke rising into the sky. "Well, that was quick."

"Let's go!" Hotaru urged. "Someone may need help!"

The two young women ran towards the source of the commotion. Dashing through the streets, they came up to the Senshi Memorial Park. It wasn't the scene of the newest bout of destruction, but it was obvious that the nettle passed through. The statue depicting the Senshi to commemorate their sacrifices in founding Crystal Tokyo was destroyed. Surrounding it were the bodies of several people, all of them likely dead. Three bodies however were moving.

"Ah! Hang on!" Usa cried running to the nearest one, a brown-haired young man. "Hotaru! Use your powers!"

"Right!" the Senshi of Saturn nodded, following her best friend. Reaching the young man's side, they rolled him over to help him breathe properly. Placing her hands on his torso, she began to concentrate. Her power washed over the victim's body, searching for wounds to heal. Everything seemed normal at first, but then the young man's body lurched with a sharp cry of pain, a green aura beginning to rise up from his skin.

"Gah!" Kyle gagged out, pushing in the source of the pain which was being inflicted on his body, feeling his hands hit something solid and knock it back. Gritting his teeth, he rolled onto his side. It felt like he was going to be torn apart! Still, it served to bring his mind back to acceptable functioning order.

"Hey, hold still! You need to let Hotaru finish healing you!" Usa insisted, trying to reach for the obviously wounded young man.

"I'm fine!" he snapped back crawling up to his knees. He was panting loudly and looked anything but fine to the pair but they didn't press. Kyle got to his feet and looked around, spotting his two friends groaning and trying to get up as well. "Rubeus! Demand! You two okay?"

"Just...peachy!" the redhead grunted as he got up.

"I'm alive if that's worth anything," Demand added, standing up.

"Good," Kyle limped away from the two girls that tried to help him to where the Rouze Cards the Spider Undead had discarded were. He scooped them up, finding them all there save for the one that had been taken. "You guys still have your Rouze Cards?"

"All except our Aces which are now going on the rampage with that damn spider," Rubeus answered.

"Just how the heck did he do that?" asked Demand as he and his friend approached Kyle. "We sealed the Tapir Undead didn't we?"

"The Spider undead took my Rouzer and grafted it to his body," Kyle sighed, slipping the cards he had left back into their carrying case. An explosion went up in the distance, causing the trio to wince. "And he isn't wasting any time in getting used to it."

"Shit. Now what do we do?" wondered Rubeus. "None of us can transform and we know the Sailor Senshi are useless when it comes to the Undead.

"Hey!" The trio stopped their meeting and looked to where Usa and Hotaru were standing up. Usa looked more than a little indignant over the blatant disregard to the abilities of the Senshi, even if she knew they were coming up short against the Undead. "We are not useless!"

Demand and Rubeus blinked, but then horror dawned on them as they realized they had more or less just blew their identities to two of the worst people who could ever find out about them, "AHHH!"

"Sums it up nicely," Kyle rubbed his brow.

"Y-you three are the Kamen Riders?" asked Hotaru hesitatingly.

"Yes," Kyle nodded, earning looks from his friends. "What? They already figured it out from overhearing us so there's not much we can do to hide it."

Rubeus just groaned and rubbed his forehead, "Great. If the city survives an attack by four Category Ace Undead, we can all look forward to getting arrested and thrown in jail until we crack, get purified, or simply banished off of the planet."

Usa-chan's cheeks turned bright pink as she built up a pretty good head of steam over the insults that the two young men were throwing her way, "We would not do that! You are helping protect the city just like we do! Even if people demanded punishment, you deserve at least to have your side of the story heard!"

"Your mother banished our ancestors just because they didn't agree with her rule," Demand cut in. "They refused to be purified so she threw them off of the planet where the Death Phantom made them into a mockery kingdom. RIng any bells?"

"Urk!" Usa-chan cringed. She remembered the Black Moon Family quite well, being the subject of their efforts so many times, even once getting brainwashed by the Death Phantom herself. "okay maybe she overreacted to that one but the last guy who rebelled was-!"

"Overreact my ass!" Rubeus snapped. "To her, it's her way or the highway and everyone can just get on board or lose everything! She's the biggest tyrant I've ever seen!"

"Hey!" Usa-chan snapped back.

"ENOUGH!" Kyle roared. All voices stopped and the combatants turned to look at Kyle who was massaging his temple. "We can argue history and politics later. The four rampaging Undead kind of take priority, shouldn't they?"

"Right, right," Rubeus sighed, crossing his arms and looking away from Usa.

"Sure," the pink-haired Senshi agreed.

"But how can you fight?" Hotaru asked. "I mean, those Category Aces are the source of your powers. Without them, you can't transform. Isn't that right?"

"Rubeus and Demand may not be able to do anything against them, but I can," Kyle told them. He looked down at his hand, clenching his fist. He had the scrapings of an idea, but he hoped it would be enough to help them. "I'm currently using the Spirit Human to stay in my human body. With any luck, I have its power and can fight against an Undead. If I can just take down one of the three unsealed Aces, then we can start getting the Riders back into the game and hopefully bring down Spider."

"We'll help!" Usa insisted. "This is our city too and we have a duty to protect the people!"

"Yeah, you've been a _great_ help so far," Rubeus snorted.

"Cool it!" Kyle snapped. Looking to Usa and Hotaru, he tried to think of how they could help. So far, Senshi magic was all but useless when against an Undead. Hotaru was the only one who had even one victory against them and she had to go physical to do it. Then again, there was a theory he was currently working on…

"Usa, Hotaru," he spoke up, catching the pair's attention. "If you want to help, then you had better be ready to fight for your lives. None of this shooting magic from a distance and hoping it'll hit. No being convinced you'll win just because you're the good guys. No dashing in heroically hoping to look pretty and beautiful to the masses. It's war at this point. You have to _want_ to win. You have to _want_ to destroy the Undead. You have to _want_ to put them down so hard they won't be able to get up for another 10,000 years. Got it?"

"R-Right!" the two teenage Senshi nodded, although they looked a little bit pale at the thought of thinking such harsh thoughts.

"Like lambs to a slaughter," Rubeus scoffed.

"Oh be quiet. At least they're willing to try which I can't say for the rest of the Senshi," Demand snapped.

"Okay, you two transform and cut the Undead off at the crossroads," Kyle replied. "Someplace big, where there will be a lot of space to avoid their attacks. Category Ace Undead don't do things by half measures. Hit them hard, fast and as much as possible."

"Right!" the two girls agreed. Reaching into their pockets, they produced their means of transformation.

"_Saturn Crystal Power…!"_

"_Moon Prism Power…!"_

"_MAKE UP!_"

Both girls were enveloped in flashes of purple and pink light which transformed them from their street clothes to their usual Senshi uniforms. Kyle blinked the sparkles from his eyes, but the back of his mind did decide to comment, '_The transformation really does strip them naked first. Wow._'

"We'll hold them off for you!" Sailor Neo-Moon reassured her unlikely allies before she and Saturn leaped onto the surrounding rooftops and towards the action.

"So what do we do?" asked Demand.

"You two get nearby and be ready to seal any Undead that go down," Kyle ordered his friends. "I'll go after Spider and get back my Rouzer."

"You're nuts, you know that?" Rubeus snickered.

"So I've been told over and over," Kyle sighed. "So let's go!"

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Tokyo - Streets<strong>

Neo Moon and Saturn were quick to come to the scene which as far as a citizen was concerned, was a scene straight out of hell. Vehicles were destroyed, buildings blown out or on fire, people dead or dying on the ground with bloody pools around them, and the Undead marching like the owned the place.

At the front of the pack were the Aces of Hearts, Spades, and Diamonds, destroying everything that even came near them be they living or not. The Mantis Undead was in the middle and was flanked by the Stag and Rhino Beetle Undead. Nothing which got in their way was spared, even if it was rubble from a successful attack up ahead. Behind them was the Spider Undead, walking in a way that showed how insufferably smug he felt, feeling downright invincible with the Rouzer around his waist. On either side of him were the Squid and Bee Undead, following like obedient watchdogs.

"This is worse than the palace attack," Saturn squirmed where she stood, looking increasingly pale at what she was seeing.

"We have to ignore it for now," Neo Moon tried to reassure her friend. "We can try to help the survivors later. We have to stop the Undead now!"

"R-right!" the purple Senshi agreed timidly.

Neo Moon looked back to the advancing Undead before and and Saturn moved ahead to a larger intersection. Fortunately the people had already evacuated, but many left their cars behind which may make for good barriers should the need come up. Both Senshi leaped from their perches and landed on the ground and stared down the Undead. Neo Moon even manifested her Moon Kaleidoscope, a tool reminiscent of her mother's when they fought the Dead Moon Circus.

The Spider Undead immediately took notice, as did his puppets, "_Oh, more lambs willing coming to the slaughter?_"

"Not today! Not ever again!" Neo Moon called, raising her weapon. Normally she and Saturn would have done the usual Senshi introduction if for no other reason but for tradition and intimidation, but Undead were not Youma and were not scared of them in the least.

"_Oh, has one of you finally learned how to at least talk tough?_" Spider snickered, hearing the determination in Neo Moon's voice rather than the childish belief the other Senshi had in being the 'good guys'. "_Well, if you want to act like warriors, then let me oblige! Kill them!_"

The three Aces took battle stances and began to charge at the two Senshi. Both girls flinched slightly, but they didn't run. The flinch more came from the fact that what looked like Chalice was running at them with murder on his mind.

As they prepared to fight likely one of the most difficult battles ever, a sudden _human_ battlecry echoed from a side street before Kyle came running out, looking quite fierce himself with his battered form and a desire for battle in his eyes. He didn't stop or slow down as he abruptly tackled the Mantis Undead, smashing him into one of the abandoned cars, smashing the windows in the process.

"FIGHT!" he yelled to the pair. "Don't stop until the enemy is down!"

Rather than find this annoying, the Spider Undead chuckled, "_I think I like you. Ah well. Chalice, kill him and then move on to the girls. The rest of you continue!_"

The Ace of Hearts grunted and bashed his fist into Kyle's back, causing his knees to buckle. The Mantis Undead then grabbed Kyle by his shirt and threw him over the car and onto the sidewalk. Flexing his shoulders, the Undead then moved after his prey, lifting the Chalice Arrow as he went.

Kyle grit his teeth and got up, clenching his fists. As the Mantis Undead drew closer, he swung at the beast, only to get blocked and then slugged in the face. Kyle stumbled back further, but tried to recover only to get kicked in the midsection and deprived of the air in his lungs.

Saturn and Neo Moon both clashed with their own Undead opponents. Neo Moon blocked the Rhino Beetle's sword with her Kaleidostick, causing a blast of rainbow sparks as she almost buckled under the sheer force behind the attack. Saturn cringed as the Stag Beetle Undead took a swing at her, clashing against the Silence Glaive with sparks of magical energy crackling along the surface.

Saturn stepped back and tried to swing wide, remembering the fight with the Cobra Undead and trying to fight like that. The Stag Beetle Undead wasn't as dumb as its comrade though, and ducked under the blow before punching with its free hand, hitting Saturn in the stomach so hard it took her off her feet and she collapsed onto the ground. The noises of retching followed as her lunch said hello to the street.

"Hotaru!" Neo Moon cried, but then she herself got slugged in the face so hard it broke her tiara, revealing her moon emblem as she smacked against the street

"_Now that was just pathetic,_" the Spider Undead openly laughed. "_Points for trying harder than those other worthless women._"

Kyle swung at the Mantis Undead only to be blocked once more before he was rammed into a stone building side, cratering it under the force of the blow. He screamed in pain as blood splattered from his mouth, a strange murky mix of green and red. Were he a complete human, the blow would have broken his spine if not outright killed him.

"Guhhhh…" Kyle groaned, unable to think with the blows to the head, unable to talk from the air forced from his lung, unable to see with the blood blinding his eyes. His vision darkening, he began to see without the Rouze Cards, he was completely outclassed. Not five minutes into the fight and he was already on the verge of death.

How could he have been so stupid? He should have told Usa and Hotaru to run for it. Now they were likely going to get killed with little to show for it. The only two Senshi he felt might be able to help them, and he got them killed...some hero he was...

No, he had to stop thinking like that. He had to beat Chalice. He had to!

"**Spirit!**"

The Mantis Undead stopped, looking down in confusion as Kyle began to struggle in its grip.

"**Spirit!**"

Was Kyle's belt speaking? The thought confused the Mantis Undead because it knew that the Rouzer was no longer part of it.

"**Spirit!**"

Kyle's struggles grew fiercer as his eyes seemed to take on a white shine to them. The Mantis Undead was finding it more difficult to keep his grip on the hybrid.

"**Spirit! Spirit!**"

Kyle lashed out and gripped the Mantis Undead's neck, pressing against the throat with unexpected force. The Undead began to choke and sputter, trying to crush Kyle back into the stone building and relieve the pressure at the same time. It's mind was in a whirl. What was happening?

"**Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit!**"

"Hrrrrrrrrr!" Kyle growled, his eyes now glowing entirely white and the Mantis Undead's vision began getting blurry.

"**Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit! Spirit!**"

"_You made the same mistake as you did back then Chalice,_" Kyle spoke, but his voice was not his own. It sounded ancient, old, and wise. "_Now regret your arrogance once again!_"

With a yell, Kyle yanked on the Mantis Undead's throat and pulled the kaijin's head in close where its visor smashed against the young man's forehead. There was an ominous cracking noise as actual cracks spread through the visor, leaking green blood. The Mantis Undead stumbled back with a soundless shriek, grasping at his face to try and stem the wound and stop the pain. He had even dropped his weapon in trying to do so.

"_Now my progeny, I leave this to you,_" Kyle spoke to himself before slumping, his eyes returning to normal. Groaning, he shook his head and looked up to see the flailing Mantis Undead. His eyes quickly landed on the Chalice Arrow and while he was addled and tired, he wasn't braindead yet. Diving for the weapon, he picked it up before charging at the Mantis Undead once again. He slashed wide, catching the Undead across the torso, cracking the armor more and splashing green blood out. He slashed more and more, catching the Mantis Undead again and again, cracking the armor which before seemed unbreakable to a human's hands. One final kick knocked the Undead back, hitting a lamp post in the process.

"Next time, stay in the freaking card!" Kyle growled as he gripped his stolen weapon.

"**Spirit!**"

The weapon flashed with white energy again before Kyle struck, cutting the Mantis Undead across the torso with a flash of white. The Mantis Undead screamed and slid to the ground before an explosion followed, the Mantis Undead's power released in one telling blow. Behind him, the lamp post collapsed, cut clean through.

Panting, Kyle grabbed his deck holster and opened it. Taking a Proper Blank, he threw it at the Mantis Undead, striking it in the centre of its cracked visor. As hoped, the card spun, turning the Undead into green energy before sucking it in, becoming imprinted with the image of a mantis trapped inside a crystal heart before flying back to Kyle's waiting hand.

"One down…" he sighed. He had a weapon and that was one less Category Ace to worry about

Over at his post, the Spider Undead choked on air as he saw one of his three trump cards go down, "_Wh-what?! Impossible!_"

He forgot that impossible was just another day at work for a Kamen Rider.

At her own battle, Saturn struggled to get back up again as she tried to ignore the taste of vomit in her mouth. Gripping her Silence Glaive, she stabbed up at the Stag Beetle Undead's face, forcing it to step back or else get a new kind of split vision. it gave her breathing space she desperately needed since she was still trying to get her breath back. She swung wildly, leaving purple echoes of power as she went, her mind slightly addled but remembering that she _wanted_ to hurt the Undead, beat it so bad it couldn't get up again. It was that wild desperation people on the brink of death were known to wield. It was also something the Stag Beetle Undead was wary of, dodging the blows, recognizing them as a threat.

Neo Moon whimpered in pain as the Beetle Undead lifted her up by one of her ponytails. She opened her eyes, her vision swimming until she could make out the Undead's features. It began lifting its sword, obviously aiming to remove her head in one fell swoop. It was enough for Neo Moon's own survival instinct, untapped since the days she returned from the past, kicked into high gear again. The surge of adrenaline and desperation to live pushed her to remember a self-defense tactic the Makoto of the past once taught her as a joke.

Lashing out, she jabbed her finger right into the Beetle Undead's eye. The effect was instant as the beast screeched in pain and dropped the teenage senshi to grasp at its own face. Green blood dripped from between its fingers, meaning she may have ruptured the insect's eye. Landing unsteadily on her feet, Neo Moon followed up with another move the past Makoto taught her and kicked hard between the Undead's leads, sticking underneath the armor kilt it wore with her pointed boots.

"_SKEEEEEE!_" The Beetle Undead screeched, sounding quite high pitched as it moved from grasping its face to grasping its sensitive parts. Now with some mental facilities back, Neo Moon regrouped with Saturn and they both leaped back from both Undead. The Stag Beetle Undead seemed most amused to what happened to the Beetle Undead, the two girls would reflect in hindsight.

"What do we do?" asked Saturn. They were both battered, completely unused to fighting in such a way and their faces and bodies showed it. Bruised, bloody, and Neo Moon's left eye was beginning to swell shut. Saturn herself was hunched over, still trying to draw breath and she looked paler than ever before thanks to her vomiting episode.

"We fight," Neo Moon ordered, lifting her Moon Kaleidoscope again. "We don't stop until they do or we drop dead. They won't kill anyone else unless they kill us first!"

Her words seemed to spur Saturn on despite the fear they both felt in their hearts. Still, they were Senshi and even though they may have gotten a little soft since Crystal Tokyo appeared, they weren't any less dedicated to the duty! The Undead both got their wind back and snarled, ready to charge at the two once again…

"Hold it!"

The battle froze and the participants looked up to a nearby building to see a familiar set of heroines standing on top, looking down on them with frowns and crossed arms. Mercury to Pluto were in attendance, looking like they were really ready to blast someone into the stratosphere.

"Attacking the princess of our shining kingdom is unforgivable!" Venus stepped forward, pointing at the two Undead. "For all her tears shed, we the Sailor Senshi will punish you!"

"Prepare to face justice!" Jupiter agreed.

"If you wish for mercy, you will receive none!" Mercury added.

"All you will receive is divine punishment!"

"For our Daughter," began Uranus

"We will defeat you!" added Neptune.

"No you will face the might of de-!"

*SHUNK!*

The Senshi stopped their speech and posing, their mouths suddenly dropping open in shock/horror. The Stag Beetle and Rhino Beetle Undead both screamed out, but the screams were not in challenge but in pain. Erupting from their chests with green blood and bits of Undead armor dripping from them were the forms of the Silence Glaive and Moon Kaleidoscope. Standing behind the stunned Undead, gripping their weapons, were Sailor Saturn and Neo Moon. Both girls were gritting their teeth and looking quite determined. Holding the weapons piercing the two Undead made them look actually scary despite being the youngest out of all of the Senshi.

"Don't just stand there!" Neo Moon shouted to the assembled Senshi, "Blast them with all you got! That's an order!"

"P-P-P-Princess!?" Pluto gaped, the only one able to even speak while the other Senshi watched their younger members in sheer horror. Their minds couldn't comprehend the sight, the youngest, the most innocent, the little girls in their hearts were acting so violent. It just could not be possible to them.

The two Undead got their bearings and were attempting to shake the two Senshi loose despite being impaled through their chests. The Undead spun, trying to break the weapons but the two young Senshi kept behind them. Neo Moon shouted at her older comrades to blast the Undead, but they were too overcome with their naive horror to do anything but gape.

"Usa! It's getting loose!" Saturn cringed actually pushing her weapon deeper into the Stag Beetle Undead's back to try and make it stick again.

"Oh forget it!" Neo Moon grimaced. Concentrating, pink light filled her Moon Kaleidoscope before she called her next attack, "_Moon Gorgeous Meditation!_"

Saturn got the signal, "_Saturn Silence Glaive Surprise!_"

The pair of weapons unleash point blank magical strikes which blew streams of pink and purple magical energy which engulfed the two Undead, launching them off the weapons, and sending them flying down the street before smashing in smoking heaps on the ground. The sheer magic power behind the attacks brought by the pair's desire to _destroy_ the Undead threatening their home and people. As a result, it amplified the power of their strikes beyond what the other Senshi could have done as they were in their city. It also drained them something fierce, having them dropping to their knees and gasping for breath.

The Senshi continued to gape in horror. The Spider Undead choked again, but it remained at least looking confident, "_Well, it looks like someone found their aggressive spirit. It still won't be enough to bring down a Category Ace!_"

Those words were quickly proven right as the pair of Undead began snarling and pulling themselves up. The holes in their chests were slowly knitting together, the lethal damage healing right before their eyes. Both began gripping their weapons and tried to get back to their feet. They were obviously angry, and had more than a little bit of murderous rage in their eyes.

"Oh come on!" Neo Moon groaned.

"Maybe...one more time," Saturn patned. "Together."

Neo Moon grit her teeth and stood up, helping her friend to her feet. The two stood up against the pair of Undead and raised their weapons. They brought the Moon Kaleidoscope and the Silence Glaive together and began to channel their magic together.

Seeing the two beginning to fight again also had the effect of snapping the Senshi out of their horror-induced stupor. The two little girls were risking their lives to protect the kingdom from these monsters. Were the Senshi to do nothing but watch?

"Hotaru, NO!" Neptune screamed, leaping to the ground alongside her lover and running for their daughter. The rest of the Senshi soon began to follow, yelling for one or both of the girls to stop.

The power of Saturn and the Moon were channelled through the weapons and combined in swirls of pink and purple. The energy grew in an orb with a faint purple ring surrounding it that continued to grow and gain strength.

"We _want_ to fight the Undead," Neo Moon grit her teeth.

"We _want_ to defeat them!" Saturn followed.

"We _will_ protect our kingdom!"

"We _will _protect our people!"

"We _will_ beat you!"

"We _will _stop you!"

Both girls raised the sphere into the air, "_WE WILL BEAT ALL OF THE UNDEAD! TWIN SAILOR PLANET ATTACK!_"

The two threw the sphere, the size of a car, at the pair of beetle-based Undead. Their aim was true and landed right between the pair before exploding with the force of a crate of dynamite. Both Undead were lost in the explosion of pink and purple magical energy as a shockwave shattered most of the remaining windows in the area. Two more explosions followed inside the blast zone. All of the Senshi were knocked flat onto their backs by the blast. It was no surprise, considering that the magic of the Moon and Saturn were some of the most potent out of all of the Senshi.

Neo Moon groaned and looked up at the smoking crater, "Did we get them?

The smoke cleared from the area, once more revealing the Undead. They were still standing, but their armor was scorched to the point of blackened charcoal. Green blood dribbled from their numerous wounds and burns. Their belt buckles were snapped open, revealing the runes of their status and their defeat. With a groan, both fell backwards utterly defeated.

"We...we did it…" Saturn smiled, exhausted as she leaned against her Silence Glaive for support. "Now...how do we...seal them?"

The Senshi were slowly recovering, ready for the remaining three Undead to charge and pick up the fight. They weren't seen through the smoke, but at least Saturn and Neo Moon remembered that they were there and tried to get up again, much to the chagrin of their comrades who tried to get them to lay back down.

"Princess no! We'll handle it from here!"

"You've done enough! You can't go any more!"

"Rest! Let us take up the fight!"

"Hotaru, Serenity help me if you don't lay down you're grounded!"

Saturn and Neo Moon weakly tried to argue, knowing that their friends wouldn't be able to affect the Undead unless they _wanted_ the magic to hurt the Undead and were willing to really fight for a victory rather than expect one. They tried to convey that advice, but their voices were too weak and their elders too unwilling to listen to anything but their own demands.

So engrossed the elders were in trying to keep their exhausted little ones down, they didn't notice two young men dash out from an alley and take up a positions in front of the downed Undead. From their pockets they drew Proper Blanks and dropped them onto the pair. Both transformed into green energy and were sucked inside of the cards, creating art of a rhino beetle and a stag beetle marked with either a spade or a diamond before they came back up to their waiting hands.

"Oh payback is going to be sweet," Rubeus grinned, taking out his Buckle.

"For once, we agree," Demand agreed, gripping his own.

The pair inserted their Aces before strapping the Buckles to their waists. The belts extended and attached firmly, activating the twin machines. Reaching to the handles, they let out the activation code of "Henshin!"

"**Turn Up!**"

The elder Senshi looked up in time to see two young men pass through the blue fields of energy, concealing them in the familiar forms of Blade and Garren. Both drew those weapons and as the last of the smoke cleared, squared off against the Spider Undead and its remaining minions.

"_This...this can't be!_" the Spider Undead snarled, the spider legs on its head opening up while its three eyes began to glow. "_I had the three Aces under my control! How could these...these...frilly, useless, lumps of flesh be able to beat one of them, much less all three?!_"

"Eh, the funny thing about humans. We can really beat the odds!" Garren chuckled, taking aim.

"Care to try your luck?" Blade mocked, taking a stance.

Spider ordered the two Undead, "_Get them!_" The Bee and Squid Undead lunged at the two Riders. The pair of Undead obeyed and charged at the Riders, screeching with murder on their agendas. Blade and Garren took up the fight, beginning to shoot and slash at their opponents, Garren taking the Bee Undead and Blade fighting the Squid Undead.

The fight was in full swing and the Senshi were again only watching, more concerned with their youngest members rather than the Riders. emerging from the side street was Kyle holding the Chalice Arrow. He had been waiting for the Spider Undead to finally use up all its puppets and minions, leaving itself alone. In position, the last Kamen Rider took careful aim, keeping an eye on the Spider Undead's waist.

"Here we go," he muttered. Concentrating like he would as Chalice, he pulled his arm back as if there was a drawstring. The area where the Rouzer would go began to glow before he let the 'string' go, launching an arrow of energy straight from the Chalice Arrow. The projectile cut through the air and missed the brawl between the Riders and minor Undead. The Spider Undead never saw it coming before the arrow collided with the Chalice Rouzer. There was a flash of green energy from the impact and a veritable storm of sparks. The Spider Undead screamed and stumbled back, but the Rouzer snapped off with a splash of green blood and hit the ground.

"There!" Kyle grinned, taking off running towards the fallen Rouzer.

"No! Citizen! Get back!" Mercury cried out, seeing Kyle running for the Spider Undead. Several of the Senshi echoed her cry, Venus looking like she was ready to use her Love Me Chain to keep Kyle safe, but he was already at the crater and the battling Riders were soon in her way.

Kyle ran around the crater before skidding to a halt. Kneeling down, he grabbed the Rouzer and snapped it back into its place on his belt. Immediately, Kyle felt a refreshing wave pass through his body, like a missing piece of his being was returned. In front of him, the Spider Undead groaned, and looked up to see what had happened to the Rouzer, "_No!_"

"Oh yeah," Kyle scowled, taking his Ace of Hearts out. "Henshin!"

"**Change!**"

The black static field enveloped Kyle before he emerged as Kamen Rider Chalice, complete and whole once again. Without a word, he dashed forward and raised the Chalice Arrow, slashing across the Spider Undead's torso, causing the Undead to scream and stumble back further. One particular slash caught the Spider Undead across the face, smashing a portion of its purple visor, causing it to scream out in pain.

The effect was immediate, actually affecting the Squid and Bee Undead. Both of them stiffened and stopped fighting. Then they began looking around, confusing Garren and Blade as the two Undead began to back away from their opponents.

"Well what are you waiting for?" demanded Garren. "Let's fight!"

A common misconception about the minor Undead was that they were brutes, animals that were lucky enough to stand on two legs. That may not have been too far from the truth, but they were hardly stupid. They knew fighting very well and several of them had managed to learn about the use of strategy, albeit an extremely simple strategy such as kidnapping someone or something of value. To that extent, the Undead could also tell when they were getting in over their head and retreat would be a better idea.

The Squid Undead uttered something in a strange language of chops and sounds, of which the Bee Undead nodded. Nodding back, the Squid Undead unleashed a cloud of black smoke which caused Blade and Garren to choke and try to stumble through the smoke. Emerging from the other side, they felt their guts sink when the two Undead were long gone.

"Dammit!" Garren cursed, kicking a stone. "You've got to be kidding me!"

"Forget them!" Blade shouted, slapping Garren's shoulder. "Help Chalice with the Ace!"

"Oh fuck! Forgot about him!" Garren gulped before he and Blade dashed for where Chalice was fighting the Spider Undead.

The Ace of Clubs snarled and spat globs of webbing at Chalice who cut them out of the air, but used the distraction to get in close and slug him across his face. He would have continued, but he was suddenly shot by several specialty rounds in the torso, splashing more green blood on the ground. Blade followed up with a wide slash, severing several spider legs from the Undead's body. The Spider Undead recoiled painfully, its three purple eyes glowing hatefully at the trio.

"_Glad to have you two back,_" Chalice sighed, rubbing his jaw.

"Good to be back," Blade nodded. "Shall we?"

"_Hit him hard. We don't want him to have the energy to possess anyone even when sealed,_" Chalice warned his allies.

"Happy to oblige!" Garren laughed.

The three Riders charged t the Spider Undead, Blade striking the first blow and dipping away to allow Garren to fire another surge of bullets into the Undead's torso. It quickly launched a webline to another building to try and get away, but Chalice leaped up and cut the line. The Spider Undead landed with a thud between the three Riders who stood at triangular points around it.

"_Hit him hard! Now!_" Chalice called out, drawing two cards.

"**Drill! Tornado! Spinning Attack!**"

Blade followed suit.

"**Kick! Thunder! Lightning Blast!**"

Finally came Garren.

"**Drop! Fire! Burning Smash!**"

The images of the cards rose up and were absorbed into the three Riders. As one, they leaped into the air, aiming at the Spider Undead. Chalice was wrapped with a cloak of spinning wind as he spun at the target. Blade launched an electrified side kick with enough voltage to light up several houses. Garren himself flipped over for a hammer kick enshrouded with flames that were incredibly hot. The Spider Undead tried to move, but injured and unsure where to go it couldn't move in time. The three kicks struck home with explosive force. The Riders rode the recoil and landed on the ground. The Spider Undead was not so lucky as the three elemental attacks jolted through its body before it screamed and its power exploded violently before dropping to the ground. Its belt snapped open, revealing runes to its defeat.

"_About damn time,_" Chalice grunted, standing up and drawing a Proper Blank. Walking to the Spider Undead, he dropped the card onto the Undead. The Spider Undead groaned in protest, but it was absorbed just the same. In a flash, the card flew back into his waiting hand. The background was gold and sported a green spider with gold manacles on its legs and its eyes were closed. Finally the club on its back was gold, indicating a complete and successful seal. "_Whew…_"

"Ya-ha! Take that asshole!" Garren cheered, mocking the Spider Undead inside the card. "Try to snatch our Aces, now you become one of them! You suck!"

"That's all four Aces isn't it?" asked Blade, rising enthusiasm in his voice. "We've beaten the best of the Undead."

"_And hopefully we'll have four Riders to fight the rest of them,_" Chalice nodded, slipping the Ace of Spades into his card back at the Senshi, he saw Saturn and Neo Moon being helped to their feet by their comrades. "_You guys can go ahead. I have to do something first._"

"What?" asked Garren, turning to see the Senshi. "Aw don't tell me we have to talk to them!"

"It's because of those two that we were able to beat these Undead," Blade reminded his ally. "If they didn't help us, we would be looking at more death and destruction than what is already here."

"Ugh…" Garren slumped. "Good point."

The Riders sheathed their weapons and approached the Senshi. They obviously took notice as Venus and Jupiter took protective stances in front of their friends. Jupiter had a nasty scowl on her face, "Stay away you vile, corrupting-!"

"_Spare me,_" Chalice huffed, gently brushing past the pair. He approached Saturn and Neo Moon where were propped up in the arms of Neptune and Pluto respectively, flanked by a protective Uranus and Mars. "_Hey there princesses. How are you feeling?_"

"Really sleepy," Neo Moon yawned, the adrenaline wearing off. Saturn nodded her agreement. "We win?"

"_We won,_" Chalice nodded. "_And it was thanks to you. We got our powers back thanks to you and we were able to put down the Spider Undead. So I have to say thanks for that._"

"Me too," Blade nodded.

"Yeah...thanks," Garren reluctantly agreed.

"...welcome," Neo Moon nodded, but yawned, drooping off. "...night-night Chalice-kun." Both she and Saturn dropped off into slumber not a moment after, causing the women holding them to sigh.

"As much as we should arrest you both right now," Pluto began, sounding quite stern with a narrowed gaze at Chalice's red visor. "Our concern is our princess and her bodyguard. A fight now would put her and Saturn at risk since they cannot defend themselves. So for the sake of peace, respecting the dead, and helping survivors...we will _pretend_ that you had left already."

"What?!" Mars and Uranus cried out.

"Silence!" Pluto and Neptune snapped back. "The people take priority over these lawbreakers! We can at least trust they will not attack the citizens unlike the other radicals!"

"Hey!" Garren growled.

"_Then we will be on our way,_" Chalice cut off the gun-wielder as he backed away from the Senshi. "_For their sakes, we can put aside our...professional dislike of each other._"

"Don't get used to it," Uranus scowled. "Next time, you will face the Queen's justice!"

The Riders chose not to comment, not for lack of intent on Garren's part. They all merely turned and started walking away, vanishing into the back alleys of the now ruined portion of the city. The Senshi returned their focus to Saturn and Neo Moon, gently picking them up so they could return them to the Crystal Palace. They were still horrified over what they witnessed, but that could be dealt with at a later time. The little ones needed medical attention first.

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Tokyo University - Dorms<strong>

The three young men were allowed to finally rest inside the dorm which Demand and Rubeus shared. Demand was laying down, using Esmeraude's lap as a pillow. Rubeus was resting his head on the table and Kyle was leaning back in another chair. The three were all sporting bandages and icepacks on their wounds. Amethyst was making hot tea for her wounded friends and hopeful paramour while Safir and Topazu were helping cook up a light meal for all of them to eat.

"Now we got all four Category Aces," Kyle stated as the Change Beetle, Change Stag, Change Mantis and Change Spider were laid out on the table. "That means that the Leangle Buckle can now be used." The fight hadn't been easy, but since they now had the card which enabled the Leangle Buckle to function, it was worth it.

"We're gonna kick so much ass now," Rubeus grinned, his cheek resting on the table.

"Do you know who can use it?" asked Topazu, she and her boyfriend bringing the light meals to the table.

"Not yet," Kyle yawned, picking up the Ace of Clubs. "Hey Safir, hold onto this for a second will you."

Safir rolled his eyes and reached for the Ace.

* * *

><p><strong>Crystal Palace - Throne Room<strong>

Neo Queen Serenity rubbed her temple, feeling like she had failed as a parent in the worst ways. Her own daughter, her precious little girl, fighting like a brute! Stabbing an opponent from behind! Using such destructive magic which actually destroying portions of their city! Where did she go wrong?

"It will be okay Usako," Endymion tried to reassure his wife. "She's still young. She just needs to stretch out and test her limbs now and then."

"But she is the princess of Crystal Tokyo!" Serenity sighed, most distraught. "She should know better than that! She is the future leader of the Senshi! She has to set a better example than that! What would the people say if they found out?" If the princess of a kingdom did not follow its laws, what hope was there of the citizens following the laws?

"She did what she had to do to defeat those monsters," Endymion reasoned.

"So, the end justifies the means?" she asked her husband, sounding incredulous.

"In this case, yes."

"Blasphemy," Serenity frowned. "We have been a peaceful people with our magic and positivity. Our methods have always allowed us to win. Our virtue and spirit has brought us victory. We don't need anything brutal like physical fighting and bloody methods to do as such. We have grown beyond such things."

"And yet the Kamen Riders' methods have proved more effective against these monsters. Our daughter only did what she did to prevent these monsters from hurting more innocent people. Isn't that what we taught her? To always protect the people, no matter the cost?"

"I will not allow our daughter to sacrifice her innocence for the sake of disgusting negativity," Serenity shook her head, absolute. "Our laws exist for a reason. Negativity was banished for a reason. I will not allow it to infect our people again."

Endymion sighed, shaking his head in resignation. His beloved was stubborn when she wanted to be and she was dedicated to the cause of peace, love, and justice. Perhaps in the chaotic Kinzuishou which he was entrusted with, but he could appreciate what the Riders were doing and risking to defeat the creatures plaguing the city. Now if only he could convince his wife and her order-oriented Ginzuishou of it.

"Your Majesties?" asked a Crystal Guard, sticking his head into the silent and empty throne room. "Are you available to meet someone?"

"Who is it?" asked Serenity, turning pleasant once again.

"He is a scientist who wishes to offer his designs and plans which may help even the odds against these new creatures," the guard explained.

"Truly?" asked Endymion. "Who is this scientist?"

"He is named Isaka."

**To Be Continued...**

A/N: Okay, this took a really long time to do and I'm sorry. I just hoped giving the Spider Undead such an explosive exit. We see that Neo Moon and Saturn may not have been as indoctrinated as the rest of the Senshi are. We also see that someone named Isaka is beginning to try and meet with the royal family. Could it be someone we know? Probably.


End file.
